The Athletic NBA Daily – “Trading Ja Morant” | Morning Shoot Around

Date: November 5, 2025
Hosts: Andrew Schlecht, Dave DuFour (Dave), “Chris” (Esfandiar Baraheni), Brennan

Episode Overview

The team dives full-on into the hypothetical and real-world possibilities of trading Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, discussing both the feasibility of a major star-for-star NBA trade in today’s league and what realistic packages could look like. In typical “Morning Shoot Around” fashion, the hosts also touch on other league trends — especially some surprising teams and young players standing out early in the season. The tone is candid, conversational, and sometimes biting, reflecting both the chemistry of the crew and their audience’s appetite for hard-hitting basketball debate.

League-Wide Notes and Early Season Takeaways

Timestamps: 02:48–13:20

• Cade Cunningham’s Emergence
  • Cunningham is putting up “absurd numbers” in the fourth quarter.
  • Chris: “He’s averaging like 15 points in the fourth quarter, something around 45 percent shooting. Most of his shots this year and most of his opportunities have come in the fourth." (03:36)
  • Early argument: Cunningham can “go toe to toe with anyone in the East besides Giannis.”
• Pistons’ Potential
  • Brennan: “This might be the year for [Jalen] Duren … they might be a guy away in the East.” (04:05)
  • Hosts debate what Detroit might look like had they landed Kevin Durant.
• Houston Rockets
  • The offense is “surprisingly good without Fred VanVleet.” Still, hosts question “sustainability” of difficult shot diet and extreme offensive rebounding.
  • Chris: “They’re rebounding 42% of their shots.” (06:03)
• Eastern Conference Landscape
  • Knicks and Cavs aren’t dominant; Pacers “completely cooked.”
  • Disagreement whether the Miami Heat’s offense is sustainable long-term.
  • Chris: “I think the Pistons can make a run. Cade is about as good as anybody in the Eastern Conference in a playoff series other than Giannis.” (09:36)
  • Orlando’s lack of an elite shot-creator and a point guard compared to Detroit.

Deep Dive: Is Ja Morant Actually Tradeable?

Timestamps: 13:20–70:26

Memphis' Situation & Value Evaluation

• Ja Morant has two years left on his deal at $40M per year.
• Grizzlies' front office recent draft misses (e.g., Zaire Williams, Roddy) are a real problem.
• Andrew: “Part of the reason that Memphis is here is Jaws doing certainly. But … they really missed in some crucial ways.” (14:35)

Trade Machine Fun: Exploring Destinations

Boston Celtics

• Hypothetical offer: Simons (expiring), Hauser, Jordan Walsh, top-10 protected ‘32 1st
• Reaction:
  • Chris (as Grizzlies): “We’re moving back to Vancouver.” (20:54)
  • Dave (as Celtics): “It’s valuable for them to have a $27M expiring contract, but I wouldn’t give two firsts.”
• Consensus: Not enough value for Memphis; Boston probably not risking picks.

Milwaukee Bucks

• Could the Giannis/Ja fit work? Doubtful due to overlapping skillsets and positional preferences.
• Hard to match salaries without gutting rotation.
• Consensus: Doesn’t fit on or off the court.

Detroit Pistons & Orlando Magic

• Not a fit for Detroit (Cade/Jalen Duren).
• Orlando: Ja-for-Suggs interesting, but Ja’s no-shooting exacerbates Magic’s spacing woes.
  • Brennan: “Rim pressure creates space too … Ja stirs the drink.” (27:05)
  • Chris (Orlando): “B minus … this is digging even deeper for Orlando after the Bane trade.” (27:56)

Atlanta Hawks (Trey Young Swap)

• Andrew: “If I’m the Grizzlies, I would say … when was the last time the Hawks won a significant amount of games?” (29:44)
• Brennan: “Trey is a better player than Ja Morant. I’m gonna need at least one first to do this.” (30:15)
• Hosts agree: Trey is “a headache,” but less so than Ja.

Toronto Raptors

• Likely package: RJ Barrett, Ochai, Jacoby, and other “stuff.”
• Chris: “It starts to shape the roster in a way that makes a little more sense … but spacing will still be bad.” (37:18)
• Andrew: “I wouldn’t mind this. It could pay off.” (37:41)

Brooklyn Nets, Sixers, Hornets, Wizards

• Each dismissed for different reasons: team direction or positional redundancy.

Thunder, Rockets, Lakers, Clippers

• No fit in OKC (AJ Mitchell > Ja long term), Houston not interested, Lakers/Clippers with established or better-suited guards.

Clippers

• Hypothetical: John Collins (expiring), Bogdan, several picks/swaps.
• Chris: “This is a Clippers move.” (47:59)
• Consensus: Accepting defeat, but clears Memphis’ books.

Timberwolves

• Can Ja and Edwards co-exist? “Electric, or disastrous.”
• Trade challenge: Gobert, McDaniels, or Nas Reid among few matchable assets.
• Brennan: “I don’t like the fit. I’d rather have Gobert.” (53:02)

Sacramento Kings

• “Kings make sense because…Kangs.”
• Chris: “I was going to go Malik Monk … I think they’ve been trying to trade Malik for a while.”
• Hosts toy with permutations, refuse to give up Keegan Murray for Ja.

Mavericks, Suns, Blazers

• No fit in Dallas (Kyrie/Luka), Jalen Green for Ja not enough for Memphis, Blazers not giving up Scoot Henderson.

New Orleans Pelicans

• Hosts debate Ja vs Zion straight up.
  • Chris: “I’m taking Ja because I don’t believe in Zion being able to stay healthy.” (64:34)
  • Brennan: “All things being equal, if everybody’s healthy, I’d rather have Zion … but Ja’s had a better career by virtue of being slightly more available.” (65:15)

Noteworthy Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Memphis’ Decline:
  • Andrew: “They’ve had some sincere misses. … They got really cocky and … that’s a bad, bad draft to have a miss.” (14:35)
• On Ja Morant Value:
  • Chris: “This Ja situation is also the playbook we’ve seen from stars that eventually ask out, or eventually get traded.” (17:07)
• On Fitting Ja in Boston:
  • Chris: “If this is the Grizzlies perspective, they’d be like … we’re moving back to Vancouver.” (20:54)
• On Atlanta, Trey vs Ja:
  • Brennan: “Trey is a better player than Ja Morant. I’m gonna need at least one first to do this.” (30:15)
• On Raptors’ Pursuit:
  • Chris: “I would rather attach picks and IQ than RJ. That’s how much of a difference it is for me.” (37:41)
• On Harsh Realities:
  • Andrew: “Going from Ja Morant to Jordan Poole: not devastating.” (67:15, sarcastic)
  • Chris: “We were having the Ja-Zion conversation in terms of availability … Zion missed an entire year, yet he’s only played 100 fewer games than Ja.” (67:44)
• On Trade Market Feasibility:
  • Chris: “After looking at all of our options, I don’t think he’s gonna get traded.” (69:13)
  • Brennan: “Feels like there’s no market.” (69:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Pistons/Cade Cunningham Rise: 03:36–10:09
• Grizzlies Recent Draft History and Ja Context: 14:24–16:48
• Start of Ja Morant Trade Machine Discussion: 13:59–14:24
• Boston Celtics Ja Proposal: 18:31–20:41
• Hawks (Trey Young) Swap: 28:54–33:21
• Raptors Fit Analysis: 35:33–38:22
• Clippers Scenario: 45:11–48:07
• Timberwolves Conundrum: 50:05–54:16
• Kings Scenario: 56:08–58:53
• Pelicans — Ja vs Zion: 64:04–65:46
• Market Realities/Summary: 69:09–70:26

Conclusion: Is Ja Morant Getting Traded?

• Hosts run through every plausible scenario but find Ja’s combination of injury, off-court risk, and contract make a trade nearly impossible without Memphis accepting a damaging return.
• In Brennan’s words: "Feels like there’s no market.” (69:16)
• Dave: “Has there been one team, one destination that we looked at over the last hour and we said yes, this is the one that makes the most sense?” (69:19)
• Minor exceptions: Kings, Raptors, Orlando — but none are a perfect fit.

Overall Vibe & Takeaway

The pod delivers a playful but incisive look at what it means to move a star in today’s NBA — perhaps more theoretical than practical. In the end, Ja Morant is likely in Memphis for the foreseeable future, not by intent, but by the reality of the NBA’s shifting incentives and risk aversion.

For fans craving sharp basketball talk, “Trading Ja Morant” offers a brisk, sometimes snarky, but always insightful, ride through rosters, front-office logic, and the league’s fascinating chaos.