It's safe to say that Ja Morant would have relished spending a portion of his debut NBA campaign learning from a seasoned veteran like Mike Conley. Once the presumptive No. 2 overall pick in Thursday's draft heard the Memphis Grizzlies had agreed to trade their long-time point guard to the Utah Jazz, though, Morant couldn't help but crack a smile.

The Murray State product was being interviewed by ESPN's Sage Steele on live television when she informed him of the trade that's poised to drastically alter the tenor of his rookie season. While Morant made sure to convey just how much he respects Conley, he was clearly excited to learn the news.

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On Wednesday, Memphis agreed to trade Conley to Utah in exchange for Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, the No. 24 pick in Thursday's draft, and a protected future first-round pick.

All signs throughout the pre-draft process have pointed to the Grizzlies selecting Morant irrespective of Conley's presence. But after trading Marc Gasol at last year's deadline to fully embrace a rebuilding process, it was always only a matter of time until Memphis moved on from Conley, whether before or after the team had already drafted his replacement.

Morant emerged as a breakout star during his sophomore season, averaging 24.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and a NCAA-leading 10.0 assists per game while shooting 36.3 percent from beyond the arc, much improved from his freshman season. He still needs to continue refining his jumper, add weight and strength to his lithe physique, and make major strides as a finisher around the rim, but Morant nevertheless profiles as a potential franchise point guard at the next level.