The Los Angeles Lakers are going to look to make improvements where they make sense at the NBA trade deadline. Following Ja Morant's season-ending labrum injury, the Memphis Grizzlies are going to look to sell off assets to improve the future.
Thus a perfect marriage is born.
The two Western Conference teams are going in different directions and can benefit from each other. Los Angeles may be able to pick up a rotation player that helps the playoff push while the Grizzlies could pick up draft picks or young players for the future.
Not every player on the Memphis roster makes sense for the Lakers via trade as not every player is going to be available. But there are certain players that the Grizzles may shop that could make sense in the purple and gold.
3 Grizzlies the Lakers should trade for after Ja Morant's season-ending injury:
1. Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose has been tied to the Lakers for what feels like forever. Rose is not the same player he was three years ago when he was tied to the Lakers via trade but he could still add value as a veteran guard off the bench.
The Lakers don't really have a true point guard that they trust as D'Angelo Russell is in the dog house and Gabe Vincent is hurt. Los Angeles needs some adult in the room who can play point guard, even if it is just for 15 minutes a night in the regular season.
And who knows what could happen if Rose transitions seamlessly to the Lakers. Let's not forget that Rajon Rondo was the third-most important player on the 2020 Lakers and many fans wrote him off before the bubble began.
Rose is out right now with a hamstring injury and is week-to-week. It does not appear to be anything serious and as long as it isn't serious, he is worth a shout for the Lakers. After all, the price for Rose is going to be extremely cheap. Los Angeles can flip Jaxson Hayes or Max Christie with one second-round pick for Rose.