5 trades for Ja Morant the Grizzlies must consider in the 2026 NBA draft

With EVP Zack Kleiman The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to usher in a new era trading I Morant this offseason, the direction of the franchise was never in doubt. Jaren Jackson Jr. has a new home, and Zach Edey’s Periodic Operations already created cracks in the new foundation of the front field. At least the Desmond Bane deal appears to have been a shrewd move by a front office that excelled at finding value through NBA draft.

Both first round picks will likely be spent on a long wing or some Edei insurance. The The Grizzlies are exhausted in the big division, so it’s no surprise that the rebounding stat correlates with the season high. As for that low-risk, high-reward 32nd pick? Well, the Grizzlies don’t need a direct replica of Morant, but they do need a player who can generate offense and pressure the defense.

Even if Morant stays in Memphis, the Grizzlies are in an ideal spot to add a point guard who can compete for minutes behind Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer while freeing up Jalen Wells to handle the ball. Kleiman shouldn’t feel any pressure to return to the first round.

Top 20 NBA draft picks Braiden Burries (Arizona), Christian Anderson (Texas Tech), LaBaron Philon Jr. (Arkansas), Cameron Carr (Baylor) and Bennett Stirtz (Iowa) don’t have the elite athleticism and out-of-the-box creativity of Morant. Therefore, they are not expected to be in the lottery, but it is unlikely fall out of the first round. Five errant second-round picks are better comparisons and may provide better value given the salary cap situation.

Jaron Pierre adds real pop

Pierre is the most NBA-ready option of this group and is the most likely to contribute right away, even if the 23-year-old’s ceiling is more modest than others. The 6-foot-5 ball-handling wing averaged 21.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 38.2 percent from 3-point range at Jacksonville State, earning Conference USA Player of the Year honors before hitting the portal. He attacks the rim with a vertical shot, is capable of thunderous dunks from the free throw line and creates his own shot off the dribble or catch.

The secondary playmaker flashes 1.9 assists per game as SMU’s top transfer, and Pierre rebounds (5.1) very well for a power conference-level guard. Those assist numbers can be bigger in a table-setting role, which is likely what Pierre will have to prove during any Summer League action. However, that is not the job during March Madness.

The definition of a polished, poised catcher, Pierre has consistently filled the stat sheet for the Mustangs (17.6 ppg, 37.3% 3PA). His defensive attention to detail also needs some work, but the Grizzlies lack a point guard not named Jalen Wells. For a Grizzlies team in need of cheap, reliable contributors in transition after Morant, there are worse gambles than a microwave shooter with huge defensive upside.

Tyler Tanner is turning heads

Tanner is the analytics darling of the 2026 class, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard who statistically has no business being this good. He is averaging 18.9 points, 5.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 steals/blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc. Vandy’s motor had scouts questioning whether they had found a breakaway.

Ringer’s draft board highlights his ability to get downhill and finish through contact, though the sophomore’s jumper is still a work in progress. For a Grizzlies team rebuilding its offensive hierarchy, the Tennessee native represents a high-floor project that could develop into a reliable backup with starting capital if the shot comes.

A big hitter trapped in a small frame, Tanner defies all historical precedent. He’s hitting over 60% of his half-court attempts and is on pace for nearly 30 dunks this season, a number that not touched for any 6-footer since 2008. The concerns are obvious, but his elite stroke, change of pace and defensive anticipation give him a Fred VanVleet-like trajectory.

Meleek Thomas moving pins

Thomas is the youngest name on this list at 19 and the most interesting. At 6-foot-5, he profiles as a creative center who can initiate the offense and play off the ball, giving the Grizzlies flexibility along with whoever they draft in the first round. The freshmen’s feel for the game under Coach Cal is obvious, but the flaws are just as obvious. Thomas entered the season as a potential lottery pick, but inconsistent shooting and struggles against elite competition cooled his stock.

Forget the worries if Thomas sticks to the NBA draft plan. Get the five-star All-American in the locker room and worry about the rest later. The Arkansas star shows impressive comfort working in pick-and-roll situations and manipulating defenses with changes of pace. His ability to score from multiple levels makes him a tough cover, and his size allows him to see over defenders while creating passing angles.

If the Grizzlies want a high swing that could develop into a spark for a sixth man or more, Thomas fits the bill. Averaging 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game on 40.3% shooting from 3-point range through 29 games is a sufficient sample size. He also recorded 1.6 steals per game, offering a two-way dimension that measures value in backcourt looks.

Thomas shows that the creative center shines in dribbling, attacking assets and creating looks for himself and teammates with a high motor on both sides. Early-season buzz has put him in the lottery conversation on some boards, and his sense of rhythm and flow keeps his impact steady even outside of the night. Someone will grab this low-risk investment with a Top 40 pick.

Branden Smith sneaks up

Braden Smith has been one of the most prolific pick-and-roll initiators in college basketball, and he very rarely misses the right play when creating offense. Averages of 15.5 points, 8.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds over the last 65 games are proven, consistent, reliability. His 44% assist rate over his last 50 games shows a rare ability to create for others that should translate to the NBA level.

In addition to his offensive skills, Smith’s basketball IQ, competitiveness and defensive awareness align with the culture the Grizzlies have cultivated. Despite being small at 6-foot-1, Smith makes up for it with a 6-foot-5 wingspan, active hands that generate steals and a high motor that allows him to compete on that end of the floor.

Tahaad Pettiford under pressure

Size limitations and inconsistencies in decision-making pushed him to the second round on many boards. Auburn’s main table setter can force contested shots when off the dribble and struggles to finish over the length in half-court settings. Game refinement and efficiency will determine whether he becomes a dynamic sparkplug. For the Grizzlies, Pettiford’s shooting and scoring mentality mirror the traits that made Morant special, offering high depth that could develop into a primary creator in the right system.

The Grizzlies are entering a new chapter, and while the Ja Morant trade creates an inevitable void, it also creates an opportunity. None of these five guards will replace Morant’s brilliance on the reels overnight. However, in a relatively changed class, Memphis can afford to turn to creation, athletic pop and positional size. With two first-round picks already slated for the frontcourt, using the 32nd pick on a draft pick with first-round talent and second-round flaws is exactly how the new era should begin.