The last time the Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies made a notable trade, it wound up in an NBA championship for the Raptors. Marc Gasol was acquired at the trade deadline in 2019, and he turned out to be the final—and perfect—piece of Masai Ujiri's championship puzzle.
There's no suggestion that the hypothetical proposal going down here would have the same final result, but we do know that Ja Morant and the Grizzlies have moved into the 'uncomfortable relationship' stage, and there's a chance that they've had enough. The volatile, mercurial star point guard could be dealt. A change of scenery seems like a necessity at this point.
With that, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has proposed a wild, blockbuster scenario that would send Morant north of the border:
Toronto Raptors receive:
Memphis Grizzlies receive:
- Immanuel Quickley, PG
- Gradey Dick, SF
- 2026 second-round pick (via LAL)
- 2028 first-round pick (top-three protected)
The Raptors have had a surprisingly strong start to the season, with great team chemistry, a league-best transition offense and a strong defense contributing to a 14-7 record. But Buckley says, "they might still be one star short of cracking the contender ranks." He notes that head coach Darko Rajaković was an assistant in Memphis during Morant's best seasons, so maybe he settles Morant's off-court issues and returns him to the star status he once held.
For the Grizzlies, they would get a rejuvenated Quickley to replace Ja at the point. Quick has turned into a keeper after a slow start to the season. He's establishing himself as a primary playmaker and a key part of the Raptors' core. He's even been credited with a much-improved defensive impact.
Dick came into the league as a lottery pick, but is not living up to his pre-draft billing as a true, reliable consistent shot-maker, hitting on just 31.3% of his three-point attempts this season, and with a three-year career mark of 35.2%. He has some skills, but has not been a real contributor yet this season. Playing only 14 minutes per game, well down from last season, if he were part of this hypothetical trade, he could get a chance to reclaim some serious playing time in Memphis, and perhaps find his mojo.
But it's the 2028 first-rounder that is also a key selling point for the Grizz in this proposed swap.
Photo: © David Richard-Imagn Images
