The Memphis Grizzlies are where a lot of rebuilding teams around the NBA are hoping to be soon. They had top-four picks in back-to-back years, selecting Jaren Jackson Jr. fourth overall in 2018 and Ja Morant second overall in 2019.
Those two selections followed seven consecutive years of playoff appearances, so it was clear the Grizzlies were entering a rebuild. Teams around the league should be taking notes, as Memphis is now back into playoff contention just four years later.
The Grizzlies were a surprise team in the NBA Play-In Game last season, defeating the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors to earn the No. 8 seed. This year, they won’t have to worry about that, as they are cruising along as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
The presence of Ja Morant has been a driving force for the team’s success. The front office has done a great job upgrading the roster as a whole, but it is Morant who is the engine for the team. It is imperative to have a good point guard in the NBA today and the Memphis Grizzlies have a great one.
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However, there was a chance that none of this came to fruition. Back in 2019, before they chose to select Ja Morant, there was a team looking to trade up for him; the New Orleans Pelicans.
New Orleans held the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, which they used on Duke superstar Zion Williamson. Following the trade of Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers, Williamson was expected to be the next superstar to be the face of the franchise.
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The New Orleans Pelicans front office wanted to pair him with an electric young player right away and had their eyes on Morant. According to NOLA.com, New Orleans tried but all of their efforts were rebuffed by Memphis.
“The Pelicans were intrigued by the possibility of pairing AAU teammates Zion Williamson and Ja Morant together in 2019, sources said,” wrote Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “They had the Nos. 1 and 4 picks entering that draft. They offered the Grizzlies multiple packages that included the No. 4 pick. All of their offers were rebuffed.
“If the Grizzlies had accepted any of the New Orleans Pelicans’ packages for the No. 2 pick, Williamson and Morant would be teammates. Instead, the Grizzlies wisely held onto it.”
It was a smart decision by the Grizzlies to not trade away that selection. They were also entering a new era without their long-time point guard Mike Conley, so they needed a new floor general to lead the team. Morant had experienced a meteoric rise through the ranks and has proven that the hype he created at Murray State was real.
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The Memphis Grizzlies look like the real winners from that draft, as Zion Williamson has dealt with serious injuries multiple times in his first three seasons in the NBA. Ja Morant has been nicked up here and there, but nowhere near the extent of Williamson as Morant has played in 90 more games thus far in their careers and counting.
