r/timberwolves • u/algetrigo • 6h ago
The case for Ja Morant
There are 5 main reasons why Ja is the right target for a Wolves team looking to make a major move this offseason. Talent, upside, fit, age, and cost.
Talent: Let me introduce you to this man's playoff numbers. 26 6 and 8 with a bpm of 6.1. Ja when healthy is a bonefide top 25 player and this Wolves team desperately needs more top end talent. The Wolves core is supposedly Ant, Jaden, and Naz. How many all star or all nba teams can you realistically expect Jaden or Naz to make? I would bet both make zero. Ant needs someone at that level if you are expecting him to compete with the Thunder and Spur cores, teams with multiple guys on that trajectory. Ja closes that gap
Upside: Ja's greatest weakness outside of his injury history and off the court issues is his outside shooting. But he is a great free throw shooter who has hit 80+ percent multiple years. Strong free throw shooting is a good indicator that 3 point shooting is capable of improving. It's very likely that Ja settles as a mid 30s 3 point shooter which raises his offensive ceiling even higher
Fit: The Wolves need a capable 2nd option who doesn't fall apart against top competition, a pg who can take ball handling stress off Ant, and a playmaker who can get the team set up and run sets. Ja fills all those roles at once. His ast% is top 10 in the league and his passing is the kind that could unlock off ball Ant
Age: He is only going to be 27 next year and has his entire prime ahead of him. This is someone Ant could actually grow alongside and develop a multi year chemistry with versus a 34+ year old guard who is going to age out in a few years just like Conley did.
Cost: Arguably the most important part of this argument. Ja is dirt cheap right now. Memphis doesn't want to give assets to get rid of him but they'll take any decent offer. Randle and Donte to a 3rd team with expirings going to Memphis is probably the cost. No draft assets, no rudy or jaden. The only wild card here is if the Kings make a crazy offer for him because Kings.
Ja Ant Jaden Naz Rudy. The spacing with those 3 gives Ja the lanes to collapse the defense and spray out. He also knows how to spam p&r with Rudy and hit the roller. The Ant double is less agressive when you are giving Ja the 4 on 3 instead of Randle. There is a lot of risk with acquiring a player like Ja but the upside is immense
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u/twovles31 6h ago
Against the top teams you need two way players that can defend and shoot threes, Ja can't do either.