SouthernWorldwide.com – The tumultuous era of Ja Morant with the Memphis Grizzlies has reportedly concluded, as the team has traded the dynamic point guard to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Morant, who was selected second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, is heading to Portland in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. The news was first reported by ESPN.
This move marks a significant shift for both Morant and the Grizzlies. Morant, a two-time All-Star, has two years remaining on his substantial rookie max extension, valued at $197.23 million over five years.
His arrival in Portland places him on a Trail Blazers roster that already features veteran guard Damian Lillard. Lillard, who was the sixth overall pick by Portland, had returned home the previous year but was sidelined for the entire season due to a torn Achilles sustained during the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff series against the Indiana Pacers.
The trade comes almost a year after the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane. Morant, who began his NBA career with a stellar rookie season in 2019-20, earning Rookie of the Year honors, and later won Most Improved Player in 2021-22, had shown immense promise.
His explosive scoring and clutch shooting abilities made him a cornerstone for the Grizzlies’ future. However, his time in Memphis was increasingly overshadowed by off-the-court issues that garnered national attention.
One of the earliest legal challenges Morant faced occurred in September 2022. He was named a defendant in a lawsuit alleging he punched a 17-year-old male during a pickup basketball game at his home earlier that year. Ultimately, a judge ruled in 2025 that Morant acted in self-defense, a claim he had made to authorities, leading to the dismissal of the case.
More significant legal troubles emerged in March 2023. Morant faced an NBA investigation after he was seen flashing a gun during an Instagram Live stream from a strip club. This incident resulted in an eight-game suspension from the league.
The NBA’s statement at the time highlighted Morant’s awareness of being recorded and live-streamed, despite prior commitments to the league and public statements vowing not to repeat such conduct.
Morant himself issued an apology for his actions. He expressed remorse to the NBA, the Grizzlies organization, his teammates, and the city of Memphis. He also apologized to Commissioner Adam Silver, General Manager Zach Kleiman, and owner Robert Pera for the harm caused.
Furthermore, Morant extended his apologies to the children who looked up to him, acknowledging his failure as a role model. He promised to improve and to be a better representative for his sponsors and fans.
However, just two months after this incident, Morant received a more severe penalty: a 25-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the league.” This suspension followed an investigation into a second social media incident where he was again seen appearing to flash a gun.
This 25-game ban was in effect for the initial part of the 2023-24 NBA season. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver emphasized the concern over other young individuals emulating Morant’s behavior.
Silver stated that a 25-game suspension was deemed appropriate to clearly convey that irresponsible and reckless behavior with firearms would not be tolerated. He also indicated that basketball would need to take a backseat for Morant during this period.
Prior to his return to play, Morant was required to develop and complete a program with the league specifically designed to address the underlying issues that led to his repeated destructive behavior.
Morant now has the opportunity for a fresh start. The past season saw him play in only 20 games due to an elbow injury. The Grizzlies announced on March 24 that he would miss the remainder of the year.
During those 20 games, Morant averaged 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. Over his seven-year tenure with the Grizzlies, he accumulated averages of 22.4 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game, shooting 46.6% from the field across 327 total games.
