Grizzlies Ace 2026 NBA Draft With No. 3 Boozer Pick and Isaiah Stewart Trade

Q: With top prospect Cameron Boozer now in Memphis, is a blockbuster Ja Morant trade inevitable this summer?

A Ja Morant trade looks highly likely this summer, but not inevitable solely because Cameron Boozer is now in Memphis. The stronger driver is Memphis’ broader direction. The Grizzlies used the draft to deepen a young core around Boozer, Zach Edey, GG Jackson, Jaylen Wells, Cedric Coward, Santi Aldama and first-rounder Karim López, while also adding Isaiah Stewart. That reads less like a team trying to maximize Morant’s current window and more like one preparing for a reset. League reporting also points that way. Multiple analysts, including Brian Windhorst, have said Morant’s time in Memphis may be ending, and the additional reporting suggests the Grizzlies have already explored moving him. The offseason is viewed as the best time to do it, because teams can complete medical reviews and build around him before camp. What keeps “inevitable” from being the right word is the market. Morant’s value has been complicated by injuries, suspensions and a contract with two years and about $87 million left. If rival teams are hesitant or demand Memphis attach assets, the Grizzlies could decide waiting is smarter than selling low. So Boozer’s arrival matters as a symbol of Memphis’ youth movement, but it is not the only reason a trade is on the table. The clearest read is that Memphis is open to a blockbuster and the odds are strong it happens this summer, yet the final outcome will depend on whether a credible market actually forms.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 25

Memphis emerged as the draft’s biggest winner after landing Cameron Boozer at No. 3, 19-year-old Karim López and Isaiah Stewart in a low-cost trade with Detroit.
Boozer gives the Grizzlies a polished, day-one contributor, while López adds a longer-term upside play with pro experience from Australia’s NBL.
Stewart may prove the key addition: Memphis absorbed salary to get the former Pistons forward, adding a physical defender for a roster that could lean further into youth.
Chicago also drew praise for taking Caleb Wilson at No. 4 and Dailyn Swain at No. 15, while Miami moved up from No. 41 for guard Ryan Conwell after dealing its first-rounder in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
Indiana, New York and Dallas were cast as draft losers, with the Pacers lacking a top lottery pick, the Knicks trading out six times to save cap space, and the Mavericks criticized for limited immediate help.