Could the Brooklyn Nets Make a Run at Ja Morant?

There's yet to be any indication that yesterday's Desmond Bane trade signals that the Memphis Grizzlies will be starting over. Even with Bane departed, Memphis still boasts a lineup that includes Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells.

However, after analyzing the haul the Grizzlies received for Bane, tearing down the roster has to pique their interest at the very least. Before dealing Bane, Memphis also fired its head coach, Taylor Jenkins, before the 2024-25 regular season concluded.

Maybe Memphis thinks this core has reached its potential, despite Edey and Wells only having one year of experience as pros. Perhaps, the Grizzlies would consider moving off of Morant and Jackson as well, opting to build around Edey and Wells going forward.

If this ends up being the case, the Brooklyn Nets should pounce on Morant.

Not just because the Nets need a point guard, but because doing so would follow the formula that left the Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks as three of the final four teams standing this season.

Granted, Morant is more established than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson were when they landed with their respective squads. But the change of scenery is what allowed them to blossom into the superstars they've become.

Imagine if Morant, already a superstar talent, received the same boost in performance as the aforementioned trio did upon landing with their current franchises.

Now the issue would be compensation. If Bane went for four firsts, just one year after Mikal Bridges garnered five unprotected firsts and one first-round swap, Morant's return package would surely be unfathomable.

However, the now-infamous Luka Doncic deal says otherwise. Doncic went for just one first, plus Anthony Davis and Max Christie.

I don't believe the Doncic trade should be the primary example when evaluating star value. That was a unique (and heavily criticized) scenario, unlikely to be seen again.

Once Kevin Durant's trade from the Phoenix Suns is final, the market for players of Morant's caliber should become clearer.

Brooklyn should have the assets in place to make a run at Morant if he comes available, and may be so stacked with future draft capital that Memphis would accept an offer without publicly expressing a desire to move the former second-overall pick.