The Memphis Grizzlies' 2023-24 season essentially went straight down the drain the moment the team announced that Ja Morant was done for the year. Now that the Grizzlies are likely already looking forward to next season, perhaps they could make sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard available for trade ahead of the February deadline.
After suffering a subluxation of his right shoulder during a training session on Saturday, Morant underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum. Morant is expected to make a full recovery and be ready at the start of the 2024-25 season.
The Grizzlies won just six games during Morant's league-mandated 25-game suspension to begin the campaign. He made his season debut on December 19 against the New Orleans Pelicans and instantly made an impact by scoring 34 points and making the game-winning floater to emphatically announce his return to the NBA.
The All-Star guard appeared in nine outings and helped the Grizzlies win six games with him on the floor. Memphis looked poised to make a second-half push with Morant leading the way. Unfortunately, he won't be able to do that with his season ending abruptly.
With that, Memphis will now shift its focus to preparing for next season. Perhaps the Grizzlies could retool and start making changes ahead of the trade deadline. One player who could garner interest from a handful of contenders is Luke Kennard.
Kennard is a terrific shooter who has made 43.6 percent of his three-pointers for his career. He will certainly be a terrific outside shooting option for any playoff hopeful. Here are some potential destinations for Luke Kennard should the Grizzlies place him on the trade block.
Best trade destinations for Grizzlies' Luke Kennard
Orlando Magic
If there is one young playoff hopeful who needs a sniper like Luke Kennard, it's the Orlando Magic. The Magic have ascended as one of the surprising postseason contenders in the Eastern Conference. They currently find themselves in the logjam that separates the 4th to 8th seeds by just one game.
Orlando has hung its hat on its top-notch defense so far this season. The Magic have the 4th-best defensive rating in the league. They're also No. 3 in steals and No. 4 in defensive rebound percentage.
However, the Magic's struggles have come on the offensive side of the floor, particularly with their three-point shooting. Orlando has the 4th worst three-point percentage in the NBA and the team just makes 10.9 triples a night, which is 28th in the NBA. They also rank in the bottom 10 in offensive rating and 20th in points per game.
That's where Luke Kennard comes in. Kennard's career 43.6 percent shooting from long range should instantly help save the Magic's three-point shooting woes. He has led the league in three-point shooting percentage for two seasons in a row now. He shot 44.9 percent in 2021-22 and further ramped it up the following season with an absurd 49.4 percent in 2022-23.
The Magic could finally pull the plug on Jonathan Isaac and send him to the Grizzlies along with a second-rounder or two to acquire Kennard. Isaac ideally could beef up Orlando's defense. But since he doesn't see much playing time in the first place, they could be better off filling in his roster spot with someone who can help them address their struggles from beyond the arc.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Another poor-shooting playoff contender that could trade for Luke Kennard is the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers have been trying to address their three-point shooting weaknesses from the summer. But unfortunately, their offseason additions haven't really translated.
Apart from the Cavs' unfortunate luck with injuries to Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, part of the reason for Cleveland's regression has been its lackluster three-point shooting. The Cavaliers are in the middle of the pack in terms of makes and attempts. However, they rank just 25th in three-point shooting percentage for the season.
Sam Merrill has been by far Cleveland's best outside sniper this year. However, the 43 percent three-point shooter doesn't really get much playing time (13.6 minutes per game) to make a substantial impact on the Cavs offense. Their big offseason addition Max Strus also isn't shooting at a desirable clip from three. On the season, Strus is making just 34.7 percent from long distance.
Kennard's addition should give the Cavaliers an elite catch-and-shoot sniper who could thrive playing in a Donovan Mitchell-run offense.
Philadelphia 76ers
Apart from their rival Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers are the only other team in the league that boasts a top-five offense and defense. The Sixers could boost their No. 5 offense even further if they are able to raise their three-point percentage to within the upper half of the league. A sniper like Luke Kennard could help them with that.
Philadelphia currently ranks 17th in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage at 36.6 percent. Much of the Sixers offense thrives with Joel Embiid dominating inside the paint. Adding a 43.6 percent shooter like Kennard alongside Embiid could lead to one of two things. It could open more space for the reigning MVP to operate down low or it could free up the league's best outside shooter percentage-wise from the last two seasons should opposing defenses opt to double-team Embiid.
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