The Sacramento Kings had an underwhelming 2024-25 season as they finished 40-42 and failed to reach the postseason after appearing in the Play-In Tournament. Their season was marred by controversy as head coach Mike Brown was fired and star point guard De'Aaron Fox was shipped to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team trade that brought Zach LaVine to Sacramento.
The Memphis Grizzlies finished eighth in the Western Conference. While they were able to make it out of the Play-In Tournament, they were ultimately bounced in the first-round of the postseason, suffering a sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Grizzlies have insisted that they are not planning to trade star point guard Ja Morant, however, recent reports have emerged suggesting that he could be made available for the right price.
A recent trade proposal suggested that the Kings could look to acquire the two-time All-Star to replace Fox.
"Kings receive: Ja Morant Grizzlies receive: DeMar DeRozan, Devin Carter, Jonas Valančiūnas and a 2027 first-round pick (top-three protected)," Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley wrote Wednesday. "Back in February, the Kings went from having a franchise floor general in De'Aaron Fox to basically leaving the lead guard position empty. Sacramento did not bring back a point guard in the four-team Fox trade, and that void in the backcourt has not gone unnoticed. "The biggest thing we need is a point guard, that's for sure," Kings star center Domantas Sabonis told reporters at his exit interview. The Kings arguably couldn't find a better Fox replacement than Morant, who brings a similar blend of quickness, athleticism, scoring and table-setting. Sacramento must find an identity and add a point guard who can make sense of this roster; an aggressive deal for Morant could check both boxes."
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Buckley added that the Grizzlies would be able to maintain a strong offensive attack by acquiring DeMar DeRozan. He noted that the deal would likely be contingent on how the organization views Devin Carter -- a lottery pick in last year's draft -- and the Kings long-term potential with Morant -- as the 2027 first-round pick could have some significant value.
Meanwhile, the Kings would retain both Domantas Sabonis and LaVine in the deal. They would likely have one of the best offensive attacks in the league, if they added Morant. The star point guard averaged 23.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.2 blocks per game this season, while shooting 45.4% from the field, 30.9% from three-point range and 82.4% from the free-throw line.
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