When the Memphis Grizzlies shipped off Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for what basically looked like a king’s ransom—Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and four (yes, four) unprotected first-round picks plus a 2029 swap—the NBA world briefly forgot what sleep was. And now, with Bane’s bags already unpacked in Disneyland, things have taken a wild left turn: Ja Morant is suddenly being linked to Trae Young in what could be a mind-melting blockbuster trade.

Yep, you read that right. Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo stirred the pot with some spicy trade chatter, and suddenly, the idea of a Ja-for-Trae swap isn’t just a Reddit fever dream anymore. So, let’s go to the source.

Bill Simmons: “I think Trey has to be in the trade going to Memphis.”

Ryen Russillo: “Trey and Ja together would be an attempt to just completely ruin your brain.”

Before we get deeper into Ja Morant’s possible exit, let’s talk about the Bane trade for a second. The Magic ranked dead last in three-point shooting last season (31.8), and they solved that problem real quick by grabbing one of the league’s most efficient long-range shooters. Desmond Bane’s 39% clip from downtown is the kind of stuff that makes Orlando fans tear up.

And guess what? Memphis got serious ammo in return—both literally and metaphorically. Caldwell-Pope gives them veteran shooting, Cole Anthony brings bench scoring, and those draft picks? Chef’s kiss. Now, this brings us back to Ja Morant.

The Bane trade wasn’t just about getting value—it was a billboard that read: We’re open for business. And the next guy who might be on the way out is the $197 million enigma himself—Ja Morant.

Let’s look at the numbers. Ja played just 50 games in the 2024-25 season. Between his suspension, injuries, and a shoulder that’s been more questionable than some of Memphis’ late-game shot selection, he’s only played 59 games in two years. That’s not just unreliable—that’s ‘your friend who says he’s five minutes away but hasn’t left home’ level of unreliable.

Meanwhile, Trae Young has been out here looking like a human cheat code—76 games last season, 24.2 points per game, and 11.6 assists. Say what you want about Trae’s defense (or, um, lack thereof), but offensively, the dude delivers.

Swapping Ja Morant for Trae Young would be bold—but there’s logic here. Memphis is clearly retooling. Young brings elite shot creation, playmaking, and floor spacing that the Grizzlies desperately need. Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman didn’t say much, but he didn’t have to: “We’ll be aggressive if it helps us contend.”

And if you read between the lines, he basically just handed Ja Morant a first-class ticket to the trade block.

What About Atlanta? Well, they’ve been quietly shopping Trae since the All-Star break. Dejounte Murray didn’t exactly become his Batman, and now the Hawks seem ready to try a different flavor of chaos. Ja Morant would give Atlanta a more athletic, rim-attacking guard who fits the mold of today’s explosive, transition-heavy game.

Let’s not forget—Ja Morant, even with all the baggage, still averaged 23.2 points and 7.3 assists in a season where he barely had time to find rhythm. When he’s healthy, he’s the type of player who can change a franchise’s fortunes. Or at least send it on a very fun rollercoaster.

This isn’t just about Ja Morant and Trae Young changing jerseys. It’s about two franchises staring into the mirror and asking, ‘Are we really going anywhere with what we’ve got?’ Memphis has already hit the detonation button by shipping Bane. And while that’s that, the Atlanta Hawks just saw a divisional rival make a blockbuster trade, and if they make their moves right, they can still extract some advantage. We just saw how it has left Ja Morant on the watch, but it’s time we have a glance at another potential.

Revamped wishlist after blockbuster trade

Jaren Jackson Jr., who is the 2023-24 Defensive Player of the Year, could be exactly what the Hawks are looking for. The power forward turns 26 in September and had an average of 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc.

Now, if you align the rumored interests of the Hawks this offseason, Jackson fits well. Further, he is just 2 seasons removed from leading the league in blocks in back-to-back seasons. But if you look closely, you would notice that his numbers have dipped in the past two seasons, which aligns with the emergence of fellow big men like Santi Aldama and, this past season at least, the arrival of 2024 first-round pick Zach Edey.

After the Bane trade, speaking on Sportscenter, Brian Windhorst further reflected on the future of Morant and Jackson, saying, “The next question is what about Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.? And I don’t know the answer to this. This is something that we’re just starting to trying to figure out with this trade. The whole league is now going to investigate this. We haven’t heard from the Grizzlies yet.”

So buckle up, Grizzlies fans. This summer might be your wildest ride since Z-Bo body-checked Blake Griffin into a different dimension.