In the midst of a potentially franchise-altering NBA Draft, some teams are positioned to pivot, and others looking reshape their entire identity with the drop of a lottery ball. The Charlotte Hornets fall somewhere in between.
With a young core centered around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, the ingredients for promise are there. But Ball’s injury history and freewheeling style of play leave a lingering question. Is this really the duo to build around for the future?
Meanwhile, in Memphis, the Ja Morant saga is reaching a difficult point. He’s electric on the court, exhausting off it. The Grizzlies have supported their star through suspensions and controversies, but the patience, even in loyal front offices, has a shelf life. Which begs the question of a blockbuster deal. Charlotte Hornets trade LaMelo Ball to the Memphis Grizzlies for Ja Morant.
A one-for-one swap. The kind of deal that feels risky, and yet, weirdly inevitable.
Why This Works for Memphis: Stability, Vision, and the Longevity Bet
Let’s start with Memphis. The Morant experience has been, well… complicated. Thrilling in motion, turbulent in the margins. While the Grizzlies have publicly stood by him, there’s a growing sense inside and outside the building that it might be time for a reset. Ball could bring that to the table.
At 6’7″ with elite court vision, a silky handle, and a more composed, pass-first rhythm, Ball offers a stylistic pivot. He’s the anti-Ja in many ways—less dependent on athleticism and more dependent on pace and basketball IQ.
NBA analyst Bill Simmons brought up Morant’s future recently. “If you’re Memphis, at some point you have to think, ‘Is Ja Morant the guy you want to build around long-term? LaMelo gives you a completely different energy—he’s taller, maybe even more unselfish,” Simmons said. “I think it’s a home run for them.”
And the fit? Kind of seamless. With Desmond Bane stretching the floor, Jaren Jackson Jr. (who already floated along the perimeter against OKC) anchoring the defense, and maybe Zach Edey developing into a pick-and-roll lob threat, Ball could be the orchestrator Memphis has never quite had.
