Why Ja Morant's peculiar game makes him a tough fit for prospective teams
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The Memphis Grizzlies have seemingly become inspired by the Atlanta Hawks trading their long-term point guard, as the organization reportedly is now open to trade calls on Ja Morant

It's not a surprising development as Morant, the league's No. 1 problem child, comes with an avalanche of attached concerns. 

We all know about the gun incidents and the suspensions, which is already bad enough. The off-court drama alone would be justifiable cause for any team to not be interested, but unfortunately the problems go deeper. 

Morant has shown a tendency of mentally checking out on his team, even during games, and bailing on your teammates in the NBA is considered flat-out unacceptable. Just as the off-court issues would be enough of a reason for teams to not have interest in him, so would this. 

Unfortunately, it doesn't end there. 

In terms of his playing style, Morant isn't easy to implement, as he's not a good long-range shooter by any stretch of the imagination, nor does he offer high-caliber defense or elite playmaking. 

What Morant does provide is truly elite athleticism, to the point where he can score a significant portion of points every night by simply running faster and jumping higher than his opponents. 

This isn't without value, especially as he's also a good rebounder who does an absolutely wonderful job of taking the ball off the rim and pushing it in transition while defenses are still adjusting. 

In totality, what Morant offers is indeed a very particular set of skills, which any organization would have to build around or at the very least adjust. 

Ja Morant's game is tough to fit on a roster. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Justin Ford via Getty Images

That's a big ask, especially when Morant hasn't proven to be that effective. The 26-year-old has taken over 17 shots per game for his career, but his true-shooting percentage of 55.6 is pedestrian. 

In this day and age, it's practically impossible to build a high-level offense around a player with middling efficiency who can't space the floor and has too many turnovers compared to assists. It’s also worth noting Morant has never played 70 games in a season and is often hampered by injuries because of his high-flying game.

As such, we need to identify teams that could use Morant, but in the capacity of a second or third star. Because as the leading man, he makes no sense. 

Utah Jazz

The Jazz would be interesting, especially if they can somehow get him without relinquishing Lauri Markkanen or Keyonte George, who in this case could get shifted to off-guard. 

(Given the return Atlanta got for Trae Young, it shouldn't come as a surprise if the Grizzlies have to settle for something similar, especially given that Young is better.) 

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks need firepower alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, and while Morant doesn't solve their spacing issues, perhaps his up-tempo style could fit with Antetokounmpo, but it'd probably take a fresher mind than Doc Rivers to make it work. 

Do note that Morant's price tag of $39.4 million does not always make a trade easy, especially for expensive teams. 

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves are in stark need of a point guard, but they need a playmaker who can help space the floor more for Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, which isn't exactly a strength of Morant's. 

Houston Rockets

There's a case to be made that the Rockets could be a solid destination for him, especially given the presence of Kevin Durant and their need for a point guard. But in this case, head coach Ime Udoka would have to heavily stagger Morant with Amen Thompson because of the shooting issues, again underlining how difficult Morant is to have on the roster. And besides, Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko reports the Rockets are not interested in the two-time All-Star.

These teams aren't clear fits, but they present some of the best out there. That's due to the complexity of Morant's game, which doesn't lend itself particularly well to team-oriented basketball. 

Feb. 5 is the NBA's trade deadline, so it'll be interesting to see which team, if any, jumps out of left field and makes its presence known in the Ja market.



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