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The Toronto Raptors could be among the teams interested in a potential trade for Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, who is in trade rumors after NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the team is entertaining calls for the former All-Star.
“The Memphis Grizzlies are entertaining offers to potentially move two-time All-Star Ja Morant ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, sources told ESPN,” Charania wrote.
“Multiple teams are pursuing Morant in trade talks, and rival executives believe the Grizzlies would prioritize draft picks and young players in return, sources said. This is the first time the Grizzlies have engaged other teams in trades for Morant, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2019 draft.”
Raptors could make Ja Morant trade
It remains to be seen what a trade could look like for the Raptors and Grizzlies, but ESPN analyst Zach Kram came up with a deal that would send point guard Immanuel Quickley, small forward Ochai Agbaji, and a 2026 lottery-protected first-round pick to the Grizzlies for Morant.
“At last year’s trade deadline, the Raptors dealt a first-round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans for Brandon Ingram, a former All-Star without much of a trade market. In this proposal, Toronto pounces on another opportunity to acquire a similarly undervalued former All-Star for one first-round pick,” Kram wrote.
“In so doing, the Raptors would attempt to upgrade at the point guard position, where Quickley has been fine but unspectacular since joining the team in the OG Anunoby trade in December 2023. This season, Quickley has a 15.5 player efficiency rating (15.0 is average), which seems a fair assessment of his current value.”
While Quickley has been up and down for the Raptors, and the ceiling could be higher with an all-star like Morant, it wouldn’t necessarily guarantee that the team would be better.
“Morant would offer far more upside, albeit with a greater downside, but that’s a reasonable risk for a team that could use a top-tier playmaker to seriously contend in the East. The Raptors rank third in defensive rating this season but only 20th on offense with Quickley running the show,” Kram wrote.
“Memphis might reasonably ask for more draft compensation to take back Quickley’s contract, which is somewhat underwater as it extends for another three years at $32.5 million per season. But if the situation with Morant has become so toxic that the Grizzlies just need a replacement — and the expected trade return for him has fallen accordingly — getting another first-round pick in a loaded 2026 draft could benefit them regardless.”
Morant’s trade value is declining after news of this potential trade information. That should make front offices like the Raptors really consider what a good trade would mean for the team this season. It could be the one thing that gets them over the top, but it could also be the one thing that pushes them back two steps.