Can you picture Ja Morant wearing a Charlotte Hornets jersey in place of LaMelo Ball? No one is probably thinking of the Hornets getting on a call with the Memphis Grizzlies to propose a swap between the star point guards.
Bill Simmons isn't one of them, though, as he broached the idea on a recent episode of his podcast. The longtime sports scribe said he would "love to be in the room if Memphis and Charlotte started talking about Ja and LaMelo." That's quite an interesting scenario, although the chance of it happening is quite low.
The Grizzlies will unlikely be open to trading their cornerstone away, especially after they essentially chose him over their recently fired coach, Taylor Jenkins. It doesn't appear like Morant had wanted Jenkins gone. Instead, it was seemingly a decision by the front office in hopes of optimizing the two-time All-Star, who has had a subpar 2024-25 campaign. So, it doesn't make sense for Memphis to get rid of him, particularly for another oft-injured star.
Ja Morant would be too much of a headache for Hornets
As for Charlotte, there also hasn't been any indication of the organization finding a new home for Ball, although fans shouldn't be surprised if it turns out that he has already played his last game for the Hive. However, trading him for Morant might not be the brightest of ideas.
There's no doubt about the 25-year-old's talent and impact on winning, with a retired All-Star even bringing him up as an example of what kind of a leader Ball should be.
Despite all his merits, Morant doesn't look like a clear upgrade over Ball for the Hornets. Aside from his health concerns, some believe his maturity still needs development.
For instance, the South Carolina native found himself in trouble earlier this week for his finger guns gesture during his squad's loss to the Golden State Warriors. If it were any other player, it probably wouldn't have been that big of a deal. However, he has already previously been suspended by the league twice for brandishing a firearm on social media. He laughed off the criticisms that ensued through a social media post.
ja this .. ja that .. 😂
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) April 2, 2025
Fortunately, Ja was let off with a warning and no further discipline this time.
It's worth noting that Ball has been involved in some controversies, albeit minor, himself. Still, the drama surrounding Morant has been more tumultuous, and the Hornets have to avoid it all costs, considering that they have yet to finish what has become a lengthy rebuild.