Ja Morant Reportedly Traded to Blazers, Grizzlies' Return Revealed Ahead of NBA Free Agency

Ja Morant's time in Memphis has come to an end.

The Grizzlies traded the star point guard to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported the Blazers are planning on starting Morant with Damian Lillard in the backcourt.

In some ways, the news doesn't come as much of a surprise.

For one, the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic and Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz over the past year.

But Morant—who is playing under a five-year, $197.2 million extension he signed back in 2022 that will keep him under contract through the 2027-28 season—has also had a rocky few years in Memphis.

He was suspended for 33 games between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons after he was seen on two separate occasions brandishing a gun on social media. Upon his return in 2023-24 he played just nine games before a labral tear in his right shoulder ended his campaign.

Injuries again were an issue in the 2024-25 campaign, as he missed 32 total games due to a variety of issues, including a right hip subluxation, an AC joint sprain and a hamstring strain.

And there are questions about whether his game is already in decline. In 2024-25 he averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, and the Grizzlies returned to the postseason after 2023-24's miserable 27-55 campaign. But he only averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists in just 20 games this past season with a UCL sprain costing him the majority of the season.

His increasing injury issues have indeed called into question how he will age. Morant's game is predicated on his explosive first step, otherworldly hops and finishing at the rim. If age robs him of that explosiveness sooner rather than later, the end of this extension could be rough.

Add in some of the previous off-court concerns, the angst with the coaching staff, and the rebuilding efforts after trading both Bane and Jackson, and it's easy to see why the Grizzlies decided to move in a different direction. Portland is banking on Morant's explosive ability holding up in the years to come, and if it does, it could end up being a franchise-altering move.