Grade the Mock Trade: Rockets add Ja Morant in polarizing blockbuster deal

The Houston Rockets have a glaring hole at point guard. The Memphis Grizzlies may begin shopping former All-NBA point guard Ja Morant. Are the two sides a fit for one another in trade negotiations? Could Ja Morant be a Houston Rocket? Here's a trade that could bring the two sides together.

Nothing in the NBA is going to happen until it does. Teams are never going to trade their star player...until suddenly the flip switches and Luka Doncic is on the Lakers. Teams are never pursuing a star...until then they are the ones bringing them in. That's likely to be the case with the Ja Morant situation as well.

Morant and the Grizzlies are not-so-privately feuding, with Morant loafing through games and using his full passive-aggressive arsenal in press conference. The Grizzlies suspended Morant for a game and are backing head coach Tuomas Iisalo and his direct approach with his players. Everyone is reporting that the Grizzlies are not planning to make a move; that will be true until it isn't.

The Rockets have an obvious need at point guard. They have an extremely talented roster and their approach in playing huge has dominated some opponents. They also likely need more playmaking from somewhere if they want to have a real shot at winning the Western Conference in the playoffs.

As reported by multiple outlets including The Stein Line, the Houston Rockets are not expected to make a big swing this early in the season. While true, that's not exactly insider knowledge; most of the roster is ineligible to be traded until December. By that time, things between Morant and the Grizzlies may degrade enough to put him in play.

Let's not discuss the fit of Morant here; there are obviously concerns about how his lack of shooting and his defensive limitations fit into what the Rockets are doing as a team. If they do make the decision to wade into the Morant trade waters, however, what could a trade offer look like that works for both sides?

Building a Ja Morant trade package

Here is one potential deal:

The Houston Rockets are ready to win now, so the crux of any trade would be moving on from Fred VanVleet to increase their chances of winning this season. He makes up much, but not all, of the matching salary needed in a Ja Morant trade. Clint Capela makes up most of the rest.

Then there comes the question of value. VanVleet is probably fine matching salary, as is Capela, but Morant is a former All-NBA guard and the Grizzlies are not going to give him up for nothing, no matter how his game has declined and how badly things are going relationally in Memphis.

If the Grizzlies are going to reset their roster and build around a young core that includes Jaylen Wells, Cedric Coward and Zach Edey, then Reed Sheppard would be an extremely tempting part of this deal. His shooting and passing would fit well with the defense on the wing of Wells and Coward, and he still has a lot of upside to become something great.

Finally, the Rockets would add a first-round pick, the second-best of their two picks in 2029. That allows the Grizzlies to pursue their reset and feel well-compensated for Morant, but it doesn't drain the Rockets of their collection of assets to make a future move.

Does this make sense for the Rockets? Again, assuming the front office is comfortable with the fit, it puts Morant as the high-minute point guard surrounded by size, length and defense. Moving on from Sheppard is painful, but he wouldn't be desired by every trade partner and this keeps more of their draft capital in reserve for another deal.

Cam Spencer is added to balance the salary sheet and because his high-volume shooting would be a boon to a Rockets team losing Sheppard, and he could find his way into the rotation at some points.

In essence, the Rockets are taking their current rotation and swapping in Ja Morant for Reed Sheppard. For a team good enough to win this year, that makes a lot of sense. Morant may not be the right fit for the roster, but from a value standpoint, this deal is a solid one. Add in the roster strength ro offset Morant's on-court weaknesses and Ime Udoka's leadership to offset his off-court challenges, this could be the kind of deal the Rockets feel comfortable making.

Should they trade for Ja Morant? Probably not. But if they do, this deal would be worth offering.

Grade: B+