With a little more than a day left before the trade deadline, there’s a specter haunting the Sacramento Kings rumor mill: the growing availability of Mr. Temetrius Jamel Morant. It’s not news that the Kings have been mentioned on and off again in regards to the Memphis Grizzlies point guard – since as far back as this summer there’s been speculation as to Sacramento having middling interest in the oft injured star point guard after the inevitable divorce between his camp and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Kings thus far have declined through media outlets anything more than a passing interest in Morant and yet, with the price for Morant supposedly dropping more and more each day, and the Grizzlies already moving on from their other franchise cornerstone in Jaren Jackson Jr. Tuesday morning, the books aren’t yet officially closed on a Ja Morant, Sacramento Kings partnership.
According to Sam Amick of the Athletic:
“The Sacramento Kings are consistently mentioned as one of the few teams — if not the only one — that might decide to get into the Morant business before the Thursday deadline. As of today, I can relay, per team sources, that they have still not completely closed the door on that idea. That being said, the percentage chance of this actually happening was placed in the low-single-digits when I inquired about it pre-Jaren Jackson Jr. trade.”
And how, one might ask, does Ja Morant feel about any potential team up in Sactown? Well according to Marc Stein:
Morant ‘would likely be reluctant’ to sign a contract extension with the Sacramento Kings.
And yet, despite those single digit likelihoods and Ja Morant being reluctant to be in Sacramento long term, one has to wonder just how little the Memphis Grizzlies are willing to take for their former All-Star point guard. According to both Kelly Iko and Jake Fisher: as of this evening, that price is dropping and fast.
Per Jake Fisher:
The Memphis Grizzlies asking price for Ja Morant continues to fall
Per Kelly Iko:
The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to accelerate their efforts to deal away Ja Morant and are prepared to come off their previous asking price
If the Grizzlies are willing to swap depreciated assets in Zach LaVine and Morant for some measure of draft compensation, would Scott Perry, ignoring all six of his pillars and the need for a good ol’ fashion youth movement, really say no? Would Kings Governor Vivek Ranadive really let him?
Hold on to your hats, folks. Kings might still have another Kangz move or two left in them before the deadline on Thursday.