The Portland Trail Blazers have three point guards on the roster; two are 35 years old, one is coming off a torn Achilles, and the third is a former top-three draft pick who never panned out how the team expected.
Why not trade Jerami Grant and a bunch of picks for Ja Morant?
The Memphis Grizzlies have officially made Ja Morant available. It doesn't sound like they want to fully tank, but it also doesn't sound like they're getting particularly compelling offers for Ja. Could a productive veteran (and maybe a young player for good measure) plus a few good draft assets sway them into making a deal?
Here's the thing; Portland Trail Blazers have built a competitive roster. They're winning games (when healthy, at least) and have a clear cornerstone in Deni Avdija. Outside of Deni, though, the Blazers are mostly made up of veterans like Jrue Holiday, and very good role players like Toumani Camara. No one on this team outside of Deni has a clear path to stardom, and finding that complementary star is the next leap this team has to make. It's much easier said than done, though, which is why Morant needs to be on the table.
Finding a second star won't be easy for Blazers
At the moment, there is not a clear and obvious path to acquiring a second star. Of course, hitting in the draft would be awesome, but the Blazers are officially too good to tank for a top-four pick. They will probably select around the 15-20 range for the next few seasons, where it's much harder to hit on a franchise-changer.
Free agency isn't viable either; Portland is one of the best cities in the country, but not an alluring spot for high-profile free agents. We've learned that lesson over and over throughout the years.
Thus, when stars (and Ja is still clinging to that label, despite a recent drop in his production) become available, the Blazers have a responsibility to throw their hats into the proverbial ring. Despite all the baggage Morant comes with, despite the injuries that have stacked up over the years, despite a potentially wonky fit in Portland... What were we talking about?
Oh right, the Blazers should still trade for him. I know it sounds a little crazy; but the Blazers are close to hitting a wall with this roster, and there's a star available for the taking. No perfect stars are going to hit the trade market soon — if they're perfect, their teams aren't going to be chomping at the bit to trade them!
The Blazers almost lucked into their first star. Trading for Avdija was a stroke of genius from Joe Cronin, but I don't think anyone in the front office expected it to go this well.
Don't apologize for lucking into that star, and don't apologize for adding an All-NBA player when his value is at its lowest, either. Trade for Ja and let's have some fun. Or see it all crumble. It'll be explosive one way or another, at least.