DHJ Quick Take: Sacramento Kings Land Ja Morant in Three-Team Trade Proposal
After no deal materialized at the deadline, this hypothetical three-team trade sends Ja Morant to the Sacramento Kings while giving the Memphis Grizzlies a fresh start. Here is the case for why all three sides could sign off.
- What is the proposed trade idea? The Kings land Morant and Jakob Poeltl, the Grizzlies receive Immanuel Quickley and Malik Monk, and the Toronto Raptors get Domantas Sabonis.
- Why would the Grizzlies trade Ja Morant? His value has cratered after a down year, and a building block in Quickley plus a clean break would give a rebuilding franchise direction.
- Why would the Kings take the gamble? Cap-strapped and stuck in the middle, Sacramento could swing on a former MVP-caliber guard who still has the talent to change their outlook.
- Why would the Raptors get involved? Sabonis adds frontcourt playmaking the offense lacks, and Toronto has shown it can survive the injury-prone Poeltl’s absence.
The Memphis Grizzlies were expected to trade Ja Morant at this year’s deadline. It didn’t happen. Why would that be?
Perhaps the Grizzlies had a change of heart. More likely, Morant didn’t have a market. Life happens fast in the NBA. Just a couple of years ago, it would have been unthinkable that nobody would want Morant.
Now, he’s a small, inefficient guard who’s been part of considerable off-court drama. Trade deadline rumors suggest that the Sacramento Kings were the only Western Conference team to seriously inquire about Morant.
Here’s an offseason trade proposal that would have them land the young guard.
The Trade Proposal
Toronto Raptors receive:
Memphis Grizzlies receive:
Sacramento Kings receive:
- Ja Morant
- Jakob Poeltl
Why the Toronto Raptors Do the Deal
If you wanted to find an NBA executive who’d rather have Jakob Poeltl than Domantas Sabonis, you could. He’s a much better defender, and lots of folks put a premium on that at the 5 spot.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how good a defender Poeltl is if he can’t get on the court.
He’s played 24 games this year. It’s the third consecutive season that’s been marred by injury for Poeltl. Meanwhile, the Raptors have proven that they can survive without him.
So, why not add some playmaking at the 5? Sabonis was linked to the Raptors around the deadline. They’ve got the prerequisite length to cover for his defensive deficiencies. He could elevate this offense into elite territory, even if the Raptors miss Quickley.
Should the Grizzlies be interested in him?
Why the Memphis Grizzlies Do the Deal
For some Grizzlies fans, this is a nightmare scenario.
To be sure, they’d have gotten more for Morant if they’d moved him earlier. That said, why would they have done that? When Morant was right, he was their franchise player. Now, his steep decline has left Memphis in a bind.
With that context, this ought to satisfy them. Immanuel Quickley isn’t a cornerstone, but he is a building block. The 26-year-old is averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 assists per game in 2025-26. More than anything, this is a fresh start for the Grizzlies franchise, which finds itself at a crossroads.
Should the Kings help them forge a path?
Why the Sacramento Kings Do the Deal
Something about Morant to the Kings makes perfect sense. If it feels like a bad idea, the Kings are likely to do it. Jokes aside: What is this franchise supposed to do? They’re cap-strapped and committed to a mediocre group of veterans.
Sacramento has some draft capital, but not enough to take a major swing.
Why not gamble on Morant? Sure, things look bleak at the moment. This is a player who is not far removed from future MVP talks. Morant still has the talent.
If the Kings can put the right pieces around him, he could restore them to the relevance they haven’t experienced since their current head coach was a player on the roster.
The Bigger Picture
Life has been hard on the Kings. It’s been relatively kind to the Raptors. It’s been…confusing for the Grizzlies?
The organization needs clarity. The Grizzlies need a direction. This deal lets them find one. With Morant elsewhere, they can finally rebuild:
And if the Kings don’t want him, they may have to wait longer.
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