Ja Morant is a Portland Trail Blazer. The Grizzlies threw in the towel on the pairing, and Portland finally got the star its rebuild has been begging for.
Memphis traded Morant to Portland for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. The Grizzlies also included $1 million in cash. No draft picks were involved, which tells you everything about how the league viewed Morant’s value after three injury-and-suspension-riddled seasons.
The deal was announced late Monday. It could not be officially finalized until July 6 when the moratorium lifted. Now it is done.
What the Blazers Just Signed Up For
Portland is on the hook for approximately $42.2 million next season and $44.9 million in 2027-28 before Morant can hit free agency. That is a massive commitment for a player who has appeared in only 79 games over the last three years.
If Morant is healthy, this trade is a home run. He is a two-time All-Star, the 2020 Rookie of the Year, and one of the most explosive point guards in the league when he is right. Pairing him with Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson gives Portland a young, athletic backcourt trio that can score in bunches.
The problem is the “if healthy” part. Morant has dealt with shoulder issues, hip issues, and multiple league suspensions for off-court incidents. Portland is betting that a change of scenery and a fresh start help him reset both his health and his focus.
Why Memphis Did It
The Grizzlies are entering a full rebuild. Trading Morant for two rotation pieces and cash is not about matching value. It is about clearing the deck.
Memphis wants to build around younger, cheaper pieces. GG Jackson, Vince Williams Jr., and whoever they draft next spring are the future. Morant’s contract was becoming a boat anchor, and his availability could not be counted on for a playoff push.
Grant gives them a veteran wing on a reasonable contract. Murray is a young big who fits the timeline. The picks Portland kept were the sweetener that made Memphis feel comfortable.
This is a soft rebuild masked as a savvy trade. Memphis fans will not love it, but the front office made the pragmatic call.
The Ja Morant Redemption Arc
Morant needs this. He knows he needs this. His social media reaction to the trade was subdued, a shift in tone from the flashy posts we saw during his rookie contract. He is 26 and still has time to reclaim his standing in the league, but the runway is short.
Portland head coach Chauncey Billups has coached NBA champions and can be a stabilizing voice. The Rip City fan base is passionate but forgiving. There will be no Memphis media circus every time Morant goes on a road trip.
The Blazers are not a playoff team next season. Nobody should pretend otherwise. But two years from now, with Sharpe, Henderson, and Morant all healthy and in their primes, this could be a Play-In-caliber roster with real ceiling.
That is a bet worth making. Portland made it. Now the pressure is on Ja to prove he was worth the risk.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
