Ja Morant’s era with the Memphis Grizzlies is over. The former All-Star has been traded to the Portland Trail Blazers.
This was reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. According to the report, forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray are heading to Tennessee in return. Draft picks do not appear to be involved.
It was no secret in the league that the Grizzlies wanted to trade Morant; the relationship between the franchise and the All-Star guard had been strained for some time. Among other things, he reportedly didn’t get along with coach Tuomas Iisalo, formerly of Telekom Baskets Bonn. During one of his rare media appearances—a press conference at the NBA game in Berlin—Morant gave a memorable performance in which he said little but insisted he wanted to stay in Memphis.
Morant: Scandals and Injuries
However, this sentiment apparently wasn’t mutual. Morant has made headlines several times in recent years for brandishing handguns and was even suspended by the league for a time as a result. On top of that, the playmaker was repeatedly sidelined by injuries and played a total of only 79 games over the past three years.
Last season, he played just 20 games, and even then, Morant was never able to recapture the form that made him one of the league’s most spectacular players. In an average of 28.5 minutes per game during the 2025–26 season, Morant averaged just 19.5 points and 8.1 assists while shooting only 44 percent from the field.
Morant: Backcourt in Portland with Lillard
In Portland, Morant now has the chance for a fresh start; his contract runs through 2028. During that time, the guard will earn nearly $87 million.
Meanwhile, the Blazers are trading away Grant, who had recently slipped a bit in the pecking order. He, too, has two years left on his contract but holds a player option worth $37.2 million for the 2027–28 season. Murray will become a restricted free agent in 2027, but he wasn’t a major factor in Portland.
At the same time, the Blazers now have an oversupply of guards. Damian Lillard will be available again after his Achilles tendon tear, and there are other solid alternatives in defensive specialist Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson. However, there may also be trades in the coming weeks to better balance the roster.
