The Golden State Warriors are not going to trade for Ja Morant. That doesn't mean, however, that they won't be a part of a Ja Morant trade. And perhaps they can find a path to enter the trade rumor maelstrom and come out the other side with the perfect player to elevate their ceiling.
The question of whether Ja Morant will be traded is tilting ever more toward a statement that he will. The relationship between Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies appears to be deteriorating by the day, and the organization is clearly ready to move on. Given Morant's injury history and declining athleticism, it's unlikely his trade value rebounds significantly if the Grizzlies keep him around.
On the list of teams that could make a run at Morant, the Warriors are light years away. They have a Top-3 point guard in the NBA already in Stephen Curry, and the combination of Morant and Draymond Green on one roster may tear a hole in the fabric of reality. Given the team's utter disdain for Morant over the years, this is the easiest "no" in the history of trade markets.
Who do the Warriors want to target on the trade market? If a blockbuster deal for a Top-10 player is off the table, then adding a player with size who can add shooting to their frontcourt would seem to be in order. They have a solid center rotation between Green, Quenten Post and an improving Al Horford (improving in health -- he probably isn't adding things to his game at 39). They have a plethora of shooting guards next to Curry.
What they need is a forward-sized player who can open up the court for Green and Jimmy Butler in a way that Jonathan Kuminga cannot. The idea of Trey Murphy III is a charmed one, but he may be off the table or at least prohibitively expensive. The Sacramento Kings aren't interested in trading Keegan Murray. Herb Jones is the right size, but can't shoot or do much of anything on offense anymore.
The Warriors can trade for Michael Porter Jr.
The player who best fits the bill and could be available at the Trade Deadline is Michael Porter Jr., the longtime Denver Nuggets sharpshooter who has taken his game to the next level with the Brooklyn Nets this season. Given his age and the Nets' timeline, it would make sense for them to shop Porter to the highest bidder.
The potential hangup for such a trade is that the Nets are adding young players in droves and want to have the flexibility to take on bad salary or rehabillitate players this offseason and beyond. It doesn't make much sense for them to both clog up roster spots with players who are also under contract for multiple seasons. They need to either find their way to expiring money or consolidate how many players they are taking back.
That brings things back to Ja Morant. The Nets could buy low on Morant, an idea prominently floated by The Athletic's John Hollinger, and at the same time sell high on Porter Jr. That makes the Warriors an ideal partner, at least if the Grizzlies have interest in buying low themselves on Jonathan Kuminga.
Here is what a trade could look like:
The Nets add Morant and a first-round pick, while the Grizzlies get a first and real players for Morant. Kuminga is radioactive at this point, but Memphis has a real shot at rehabillitating him. Moses Moody is the exact sort of two-way wing every team wants in their rotation. Buddy Hield can battle with Cam Spencer for the Memphis Memorial Sniper role. If the Grizzlies fully engage in a rebuild, both Moody and Hield can be flipped for value.
Is this enough from the Warriors to get a deal done? It's hard to say. The Nets may demand a little extra value here, depending on what Morant's market is around the league. If this was on the table for the Warriors, however, they would be dealing one fringe starter in Moody for a clear upgrade, moving on from Kuminga, and needing just two first-round picks, keeping some optionality to make another move next season.
They would also keep both Green and Butler to pair with Porter Jr. and Curry for a potent two-way group. They may not be the title favorite, but they would have a better shot of making a run in the playoffs, something any team with Curry is a danger to do.
The Warriors won't be trading for Ja Morant. Maybe, just maybe, they could still turn the situation into their benefit.