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The Washington Wizards only won 18 games during the 2024-25 season. They are clearly in a rebuilding phase, and right now, they are doing nothing more than praying for the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft to select Cooper Flagg. The forward from Duke who is all but guaranteed to go first overall is one of the best draft prospects in recent memory. While the college basketball national player of the year is generational, he will still need more help in turning the Wizards' franchise around if they draft Flagg, so Washington should also pursue a trade for Ja Morant.
After looking like the future face of the NBA earlier in his career, Morant's last two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies have been disastrous. He was limited to nine games last season due to injuries and two suspensions, and the point guard hasn't seemed to mature since then. Morant has continued to do gun/violence-related celebrations, and the Grizzlies might be growing tired of it.
The Oklahoma City Thunder just swept Memphis in the first round of the postseason. Considering they also fired head coach Taylor Jenkins just weeks before the end of the regular season, it is clear that offseason changes are coming. That could potentially include a Morant trade.
Wizards trade proposal for Ja Morant
Wizards receive: Ja Morant
Grizzlies receive: Jordan Poole, Kyshawn George, AJ Johnson, 2025 first-round pick (via Grizzlies), 2026 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick (Top 20 protected)
The Grizzlies are in a tough spot. The team was a two-seed in both the 2022 and 2023 playoffs, but despite finding gems in the draft in recent years and employing a young core, the team is heading in the wrong direction. There are questions out there about Morant's ability to lead the team going forward.
Not only has his maturity been questioned, but his production has regressed in recent years. Morant averaged 27.4 points per game in 2021-22 but he was down to 23.2 point this season. He has continued to struggle as a shooter, evidenced by his 30.9% rate from deep this past season.
While those factors could lead to the Grizzlies trading Morant, they don't change the fact that he is a star. Morant already has two All-Star nods to his name and plenty of experience in the spotlight that comes with stardom.
The point guard is an elite athlete who thrives scoring above or below the rim. He has the gravity to demand a lot of defensive attention, but he can still involve his teammates via impressive playmaking.
Morant fits the current core in Washington, but he'd really thrive alongside Flagg if the Wizards were able to draft the top prospect. Together, the two players would immediately create the best duo in Washington since John Wall and Bradley Beal were in their primes together.
Morant would also be an intriguing fit next to last year's No. 2 overall pick, Alex Sarr. While Sarr was a little bit underwhelming as a rookie, he has often drawn comparisons to Morant's teammate in Memphis: Jaren Jackson Jr.
A Morant trade would fast-track the Wizards' rebuild. While Kyshawn George – one of the team's three first-round picks from last year's draft – is sacrificed in this trade, the team still holds on to a lot of their young core.
Morant would bring playoff experience to a team that includes Sarr, Corey Kispert, Bub Carrington, and Bilal Coulibaly. This trade also allows them to get off of Jordan Poole's contract.
While Poole can score in bunches, he is incredibly streaky, and the big deal that the Wizards gave to the guard is looking more and more like a mistake.
Is the Ja Morant era over in Memphis?
While many fans and NBA talking heads have predicted a Morant trade, it isn't a necessity for the Grizzlies to make. The point guard is still only 25 years old, and he started looking more like himself during the last couple of months of the season.
The Grizzlies should hold on to Morant and the rest of their core while making roster moves on the margins. They still have a roster that can compete at the top of the Western Conference standings once they hire a new head coach.
If trading Morant is the route that the Grizzlies decide to go, though, then they should look to add both win-now players and assets for the future. This trade sees them bring in four total first-round picks.
Three of those picks are Washington's, and considering the Wizards have been one of the worst teams in the NBA for a while now, those picks could end up near the top of those respective drafts. The fourth first-rounder coming in was originally the Grizzlies' pick, and they acquired it ahead of the trade deadline. It returns to Memphis here.
It is far from a guarantee that Flagg ends up in Washington, and Morant hasn't fully figured out his issues either, both in terms of on-court play and off-the-court drama. George and AJ Johnson are both recent first-round picks, too, and both players still have immense potential.
Poole could be a solid get, too. While he's struggled at times, especially when it comes to the defensive end, he averaged 20-plus points per game in two of the last three seasons, and he has an NBA championship to his name as well. It isn't like Morant is a defensive ace, either. If the Grizzlies were to pursue a Morant trade, then this Wizards' proposal would be something to consider.
