Amid the first segment of the ‘Game Theory Podcast’ led by Sam Vecenie, the LA Clippers were mentioned as a team in the hunt for any star on the market. The most notable name at the moment is Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Vecenie added that it would be easy to make it happen through the Clippers’ expiring contracts.
However, while Morant has the superstar character, reputation, track record, and presence, his addition would be questioned inside and out. He does not fit Tyronn Lue’s current scheme, and as a third option in the starting lineup, it is hard to imagine the outcome being anything but flawed.
That said, the Clippers certainly have the assets the Grizzlies would agree to receive, but LA should not be focused on adding a star just for the sake of it. They need to appropriately sell their trade block for players that add more than hype and pressure.
Ja Morant is not worth the expiring contracts the Clippers have to offer
In the process of discussing a potential fit via trade proposals for anyone in the NBA, there is a chance of success if it works on paper. The LA Clippers have James Harden and Nicolas Batum, who have been with the team for years, as examples of players with easily adaptable play-styles.
On the contrary, Morant would not even meet the criterion on paper. He is not a three-point shooter, which is mandatory for guards to succeed in today’s NBA, and demands high usage. In fact, in 2021-22(Morant’s first all-star season), he had a usage percentage of 33.7, and in 2022-23(Morant’s second all-star season), he had a usage percentage of 34.9.
To put both figures into perspective, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2024-25 MVP winner, posted a usage percentage of 34.8.
Furthermore, it is evident that the ball needs to be in Morant’s hands at all times for him to succeed, yet he has done nothing in recent years to deserve that role; he is far from an MVP-caliber player, and has not played much regular-season basketball over the last three seasons.
Additionally, Morant is currently having the worst season of his seven-year career, averaging 19.0 points, 7.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.6 turnovers, while shooting 40.1% from the field and 20.8% from beyond the arc.
If the Clippers were to trade for Morant, it would primarily be because of his superstar, flashy name. This should not drive LA to spend their expiring value at the expense of better uses, such as impactful guards and wings.