Point-Guard Crisis: Trae Young, Ja Morant

Merlin sees the 2025-26 season as an early litany of small disasters: a league-wide shortage of true playmakers, injury decimation (Trae Young out at least four weeks; Tyrese Haliburton sidelined long-term), and roster misfires that matter more than box scores. Boston’s loss of its center trio has left them conceding second chances; Brooklyn’s rookie Egor Demin is raining threes but not creating inside; New Orleans is “a house on fire” and next in line for a coaching change; Ja Morant was suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team.” These are not quirks — they reshape playoff hopes, trade chatter, and draft math. Merlin whispers that problems like missing ball‑handlers and flammable locker rooms are contagious: teams with depth and clear identities will trade for creators, rookies will be fast‑tracked, and front offices will choose solutions over slogans. Expect a busy December.