The Memphis Grizzlies have Ja Morant back and they’ve immediately taken off. After a rough 2023-24 season, the Grizzlies are back in the thick of things in the Western Conference, boasting a 35-16 record, good for the second seed. However, they were also dealing with one of those good problems with too many rotational players on the squad.
As a result, they decided to shed a few names off their books, allowing a cleaner rotation and some cap flexibility to pay around with.
It led to parting ways with Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, and a 2025 first-round pick, whom the Sacramento Kings and the Washington Wizards snatched up. How did each team fare in the trade? Let’s find out.
Trade Grades for Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Wizards
Memphis Grizzlies: A
Memphis had too many bodies on the team to throw out on the court. With both Smart and LaRavia moving to other teams, it should lead to a tighter rotation for them. Neither Marvin Bagley III nor Johnny Davis will likely make it onto the court.
Smart, who had played in just 39 games in his two seasons with the team, was enjoying the worst injury luck of his career. As a result, getting out from under his nearly $20 million salary for this season became a priority.
And with expiring deals for both, it was an effective cost-cutting measure for a Grizzlies team that has many mouths to feed — former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. is up for a contract extension next season.
With an eye for the future, the move was a shrewd one from a Grizzlies front office that continues to exceed expectations at every turn.
Sacramento Kings: A-
For Colby Jones, Alex Len, and a singular second-round pick, adding a regular rotation piece in Jake LaRavia was a smooth move. With their moves during the season, the Kings are trying to embrace an even stronger outside shooting identity. LaRavia, well over 40% on the season, should help that matter.
Further, for a team that has hovered in the bottom 10 of the league’s defenses in each of the past three seasons, the 23-year-old should offer some upside on that end as well.
Washington Wizards: A
For the Washington Wizards, the main attraction is the 2025 first-rounder. As they dive deep into their rebuild, getting another first-round pick was ideal for the Wizards. Marcus Smart might be a prime buyout candidate and Alex Len is expiring.
Nonetheless, the 22-year-old Colby Jones might be a piece Washington keeps for the future. If he can develop into a rotational piece, he’ll fit well with the rest of the youth movement in the nation’s capital. But even as a future trade asset, the Wizards did a tremendous job given their situation.
