Latest odds for Morant's next team released: Kings lead ahead of Heat, Rockets rank third

On November 6th Beijing time, rumors about Morant possibly leaving have been intensifying recently. If he is traded, which team would be his next destination? The latest odds show the Kings as the front-runner, with the Heat second and the Rockets third. Following them are the Hawks, Raptors, and Pelicans. Here is an analysis of the top three teams by odds and how they match with Morant—

1. Sacramento Kings

Reports from the Kings’ camp suggest that if Morant is put on the market, the Kings are expected to be interested. Would a core lineup of Morant, Sabonis, and LaVine provide meaningful championship contention?

The answer is likely no, but the chemistry among them might be better than expected. Sabonis is relentless in pick-and-rolls and is a decent shooter, while LaVine clearly enjoys shooting from anywhere inside or beyond the arc. This would form an offense with strong potential, but defensively they would be collectively porous, and the salary commitments for the coming years would be prohibitively high.

If the goal is to build a championship team, this trade is not the optimal choice for the Kings. More likely, the Kings aim to be competitive enough to occasionally “light up the spotlight” (their home win celebrations), and perhaps sneak into the playoffs? You could convince yourself to accept this trade. All recent moves by the Kings indicate they mostly want to relive the excitement of making the playoffs in 2023. Although Morant is not as all-around an offensive player as Fox, pairing Sabonis with a speedy point guard and some shooters has previously worked wonders in Sacramento.

2. Miami Heat

The Heat appearing second is somewhat ironic. Their offensive success this season largely comes from employing offensive principles that Morant seemed to dislike last season. The Heat have basically abandoned pick-and-rolls, leading the league pace rankings by a wide margin, and no player on their roster ranks in the top 45 for touches per game league-wide. If Morant only wants to run heavy pick-and-roll offense, the 2025-26 Heat seem uninterested in that style. Of course, part of the reason the Heat don’t run it is because they lack the personnel to execute that tactic.

The Heat are unlikely to trade away Adebayo or Veil for Morant, but a deal involving Herro and Morant could give Miami a rare talented star while allowing Memphis to receive a newly minted All-Star and a relatively more stable guard.

3. Houston Rockets

The Rockets rank third, possibly mainly because VanVleet’s injury leaves them short at point guard. However, it is widely believed that the Rockets are not seriously interested in Morant. He requires a large share of the ball, which would inevitably limit the impact of Sengun and Amen.

Still, some media outlets think that if Morant’s trade value continues to decline, the Rockets might acquire him without paying a high price. Morant’s addition could become a key factor for the Rockets to compete against the Thunder and chase a championship. Overall, though, executives likely won’t want to take on the huge risk of acquiring a player with off-court issues, and Udoka probably wouldn’t get along well with Morant.

Therefore, although many teams appear in the odds, numerous NBA experts remain pessimistic about Morant’s trade prospects. After all, a player with clear problems is more like a ticking time bomb that could bring negative effects to the team. Do you think Morant will change teams this season? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.