The Memphis Grizzlies are eager to move on from their star point guard, Ja Morant, after a turbulent few seasons in the NBA. The Grizzlies have been reluctant to move on from the controversial guard, but with a trade in mind, Draymond Green has unveiled his ‘Dark Horse’ team to swoop him up.
Ja Morant’s ‘Dark Horse’ Destination
Speaking on the ‘Draymond Green Show’ podcast, he said, “A dark horse I’d throw out is the New York Knicks. I haven’t seen any reports linking them, but imagine Ja Morant at Madison Square Garden.”
“That’s box office. If Ja Morant is traded, you’re talking a team that has championship aspirations, that hasn’t quite gotten there yet, and they have the contracts to make it happen,” he added.
Green isn’t wrong about Morant being a box office draw. The Grizzlies guard is one of the most elite dunkers in the league and can make clutch shots from anywhere on the court.
Would it be a sensible trade for the Knicks? Probably not. The Knicks already have one of the best point guards in the NBA in Jalen Brunson, averaging 28.9 points and 6.3 assists. The second concern for the Knicks would be Morant’s past suspensions from the league and his recent injury record.
The two-time All-Star played 59 games combined over the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons because of two suspensions for incidents with guns and various injuries.
After averaging more than 26 points per game in the 2021-22 season and the 2022-23 season, Morant’s suspensions and injuries have lowered his trade value significantly.
This season, in 18 games, he has averaged 19 points and 7.6 assists, a long way from the exhilarating performances he produced three years ago.
In July 2022, Morant signed a five-year, $197,230,450 contract with the Grizzlies. If any team is to trade for him, they would have two and a half years left to pay on it.
Morant hasn’t turned into the player the Grizzlies thought he was going to be when he signed that deal, and now, they are facing the consequences. Due to Morant’s significant contract, the Grizzlies may be hoping for a haul of young players and picks, but the deal could look more like the mirror image of Trae Young’s recent trade.
Young was traded to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, with no draft picks attached, in an attempt to relieve the burden of Young’s huge salary.
The Grizzlies are 10-9 without Morant in the lineup, compared to 6-12 when he plays, fuelling trade talk. Morant and the Grizzlies are at a breaking point, and the franchise needs to act quickly to resolve the situation.
Is the Knicks his next destination? What do you think?
