New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Ja Morant To Brooklyn, Cam Johnson To Atlanta, Claxton To Memphis

The offseason is here for 22 teams in the NBA. The conference semifinals have begun and there are only eight teams left alive with hopes of making it to the ultimate goal of winning a championship. The Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and Memphis Grizzlies are all searching for the next steps to take as a franchise, which is different for all three.

Atlanta is going to be a team worth watching. Most will point to a potential Trae Young trade, but that does not appear likely (for now) and Atlanta may move forward with this core of Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu. If the Hawks decide to do that, they need to improve their bench in a big way this offseason. Due to the NBA's CBA and apron rules, you are going to be seeing a lot more three-team trades between teams so salaries can move around. Atlanta could try to attach themselves to a big deal and add some pieces to their bench if they opt to move forward with this starting five. The Hawks need interior defense, frontcourt depth, and shooting. This is not a great free agent class to be filling those needs, so could the Hawks look to the trade market?

Brooklyn is going to be a fascinating team to watch this offseason. They are armed with a lot of draft assets and cap space, but how will they choose to use it? Will players such as Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton be a part of the team still? They could just elect to stand pat depending on how the NBA Draft Lottery shakes out tonight.

Memphis could be a team ready to shake things up. The core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr has not made as much progress as it appeared to be making just a few years ago and Morant is coming off of a poor season. He has been mentioned in trade rumors already and he could be moved if there is a package of assets that could help the Grizzlies.

So how about a trade where each of these teams tries to fill a need?

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Hawks Receive: Cam Johnson

Nets Receive: Ja Morant, Terance Mann, Mouhamed Gueye, and a 2025 First Round Pick (From Atlanta, Via LAL)

Grizzlies Receive: Nic Claxton, 2025 1st Round Pick (from BKN, Via NYK), 2026 2nd round pick (BKN), 2028 2nd round pick (via BKN), and a 2029 2nd round pick (BKN)

Why Atlanta does this trade: Johnson is one of the best players on the trade market and would be a great fit in Atlanta. Atlanta would add much-needed shooting to its lineup and not lose any size. Johnson is one of the best wing players that could be acquired via trade and is coming off of a season in which he shot 42% from three. He would fit in like a glove next to Trae Young, who is at his best when he has shooters around him. Having a starting lineup of Young, Dyson Daniels, Johnson, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu, with Zaccharie Risacher coming off of the bench, could be a potential playoff team in the Eastern Conference. It also keeps Atlanta out of the luxury tax.

Why Atlanta does not do this trade: Johnson is a good player, but is he worth moving a pick and multiple rotation players for? If Atlanta did not want to do this trade, it is that they believe in their bench already and value having the Lakers first-round pick.

Why the Grizzlies do this trade: They get assets back for Morant, including four picks and a really good center in Claxton, who would form a great defensive duo with Jackson Jr. While they would no longer have a point guard, they would have an elite defensive frontcourt and Edey would be great depth to have and use in certain matchups.

Why the Grizzlies don't do this trade: Is this enough for Morant, even with the injuries and lack of availability? Morant is one of the best point guards in the NBA when healthy and Memphis may value him more than this. The picks they get are not premium and is Claxton a good fit alongside Jaren Jackson Jr?

Why the Nets do this trade: They get a potential franchise player in Morant, while adding draft capital and rotation players for depth. While Brooklyn is armed with cap space and draft picks, they don't have a star player that other guys are going to want to play with and have a winning team. Morant gives them one.

Why the Nets don't do this trade: Morant is a big risk from an availability standpoint and the team might not be much better after this trade. While Brooklyn would still have assets left over to make other deals, that does not guarantee they do that. Mann is a solid player, but nothing special, and Gueye is still finding his footing in the NBA, though he showed flashes of high-level defensive play while with the Hawks. Morant alone won't get Brooklyn to where they need to be.

Additional Links

Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo Reportedly Open to Exploring Best Fits Outside of Milwaukee; Is Atlanta An Option?

2025 NBA Draft Lottery: Time, TV Channel, Odds and Team Order

2025 NBA Draft Lottery: Best and Worst Case Scenarios For The Atlanta Hawks Tomorrow Night