Trade Details and Player Movement
Ja Morant is headed to the Portland Trail Blazers in a trade that would end his volatile run with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to multiple reports Monday. Pending NBA approval and physicals, the teams agreed to a swap that sends Morant to Portland for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.
The Blazers were rumored to be a possible landing spot for Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown, and Monday's acquisition of Morant creates a logjam of guards on the roster. Speculation in Portland remains focused on the Blazers finding a match with Boston to bring Brown on board in a possible pairing with Morant, a two-time All-Star in Memphis.
Morant's Contract and Performance
Morant is signed for two more seasons with salaries of $42.167m (2026-27) and $44.887m (2027-28) before he's eligible to become a free agent in 2028. Morant, 26, played only 20 games last season and a total of 79 the past three years. In 327 career games, Morant averaged 22.4 points, 7.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds and one steal per game.
He was drafted No 2 overall in 2019, has missed more than 100 games in his career because of injuries and was suspended 25 games in 2023 for a gun-related incident.
Grizzlies' Rebuild and Departures
The Grizzlies finished 25-57 last season and have parted with most of the prime cast from their 51-win season in 2022-23, the second of their back-to-back Southwest Division titles. Memphis traded three-point specialist Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic before last year's draft and shipped two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr to the Jazz at the trade deadline in February.
Players Acquired by Memphis
Grant, 32, has played for five teams since entering the NBA with the 76ers in 2014. He averaged 18.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 57 games for the Blazers last season. Murray, 25, just completed his third season in Portland. He was the No 23 overall pick in the 2023 draft and has averaged 5.3 points in 188 career games.
