The Memphis Grizzlies are sending Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers in a trade that ends the guard's turbulent tenure with the franchise, the teams announced Monday pending NBA approval and player physicals.
Memphis receives Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in the deal. The swap marks another significant piece moving out of Memphis as the Grizzlies accelerate a roster overhaul following a disastrous 25-57 season.
Morant, 26, played just 20 games last season and has appeared in only 79 games over the past three years. His career has been marked by serious durability issues. Since being drafted second overall in 2019, he has missed more than 100 games and was suspended for 25 games in 2023 following a gun-related incident.
Still, he carries significant salary obligations. Morant is locked in through the 2027-28 season with annual salaries of $42.167 million and $44.887 million, after which he becomes a free agent. In 327 career games with the Grizzlies, he averaged 22.4 points and 7.4 assists per game while adding 4.6 rebounds and one steal.
Portland's acquisition of Morant creates immediate roster complications for the Blazers. Multiple reports suggest the team views the addition as a stepping stone toward a larger move, with speculation centering on a potential trade for Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown. Pairing Morant with a player of Brown's caliber could reshape Portland's competitive window, though such a deal would require significant additional maneuvering.
For Memphis, the trade continues a wholesale dismantling of the roster that won back-to-back Southwest Division titles in 2022 and 2023. The Grizzlies already traded three-point specialist Desmond Bane to Orlando before last draft and shipped two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr to the Jazz at the February trade deadline.
Grant, 32, arrives in Memphis after averaging 18.6 points in 57 games for Portland last season. The veteran forward has cycled through five franchises since 2014 and provides experience during a rebuild. Murray, 25, was a 2023 first-round pick selected 23rd overall. He has averaged 5.3 points across 188 career games but represents a younger asset for the Grizzlies moving forward.
Author James Rodriguez: "The Grizzlies needed fresh assets to rebuild from rubble, but shedding an All-Star guard signals Memphis is playing the long game here."
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