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Ja Morant traded to Trail Blazers, ending eventful 7-year Grizzlies tenure The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to trade two-time NBA All-Star Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers, a team source told The Athletic, ending a roller-coaster seven-year tenure that included some of the most successful seasons in franchise history, a stretch of injuries, off-court drama and growing bad blood behind the scenes.
In exchange for Morant, the Grizzlies will receive forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.
ESPN first reported the deal.
ADVERTISING At one point, Morant was viewed as one of the NBAs next superstars who could potentially help the Grizzlies reach heights theyve never achieved.
Now, his exit marks the final chapter of a complete rebuild in Memphis that comes only a few years after the teams initial ascension.
The Grizzlies failed to make the playoffs this past season, finishing with a dismal 25-57 record.
After losing in the first round of the 2025 playoffs, Memphis traded guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in the offseason, then dealt former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr.
to the Utah Jazz just before the NBA trade deadline.
Trading Morant officially marks the end of this era.
Last February, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman dismissed the possibility of trading Morant, saying he was not going to give this nonsense further oxygen and calling the notion fantasy.
Since then, Morants value has plummeted following a late-season collapse that cost former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, who has the most victories in franchise history, his job.
In previous years, the thought of trading Morant wouldve been laughable.
Morants frigid relationship with the organization returned to the forefront early in the year after the franchise began projecting its interest in listening to trade offers for its star point guard.
He had received a one-game suspension earlier this past season after openly clashing with head coach Tuomas Iisalo.
The tension within the team became even more obvious during the Grizzlies overseas trip to play games in Berlin and London.
During an open practice, reporters captured a heated discussion between Morant, who was out with a calf injury, and Grizzlies guard Vince Williams that went viral.
After returning and starring in the second of those two games in London, Morant said he preferred to stay with the franchise.
If anybody in here knows me, Im a very loyal guy, he said.
I got a logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be.
By then, however, the patience among many within the organization regarding Morants on-court availability and off-court controversies had worn thin.
Morant, 26, made 20 appearances this past season, averaging just over 28 minutes per game, and hasnt played more than six consecutive games since the 2022-23 season.
Along with the litany of injuries that have kept him off the court, Morant also missed 33 games across the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons for repeatedly flashing a gun on social media.
On the court, Morants explosiveness has declined in recent years, as injuries have piled up.
He averaged 19.5 points per game this past season, his third-lowest scoring average since his first two seasons as a pro.
Hes also shot 41 percent from the field, the lowest of his career, and 23.5 percent from the 3-point line.
But when Morant is playing well, hes still capable of being one of the most dynamic playmakers at the point guard position.
Morant exits Memphis as a two-time All-Star, the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year and the 2021-22 Most Improved Player award winner.
He led the Grizzlies to three straight playoff appearances from 2021-23, and in his first 19 playoff appearances, he averaged a stunning 27.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists.
After those successful seasons, the Grizzlies never quite reached those heights again, and Morants lack of availability and issues away from the court played a massive role in the teams demise.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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