Ja Morant is officially ready for his next chapter after the blockbuster offseason trade on June 29 that sent him from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Portland Trail Blazers. Some would say that the Blazers’ current cost-saving era under new ownership is less than ideal. But he’s already made himself at home with his new teammates. After hanging out with Deni Avdija & Co., the Blazers media team caught up with Ja to see how he’s adjusting to his new norm.

When asked what he had already learned about his new teammates after interacting with them throughout the week, the two-time All-Star had a candid and funny review. 

“Uh, they rage bait a lot,” Morant joked. “They rage bait a lot for sure. They just—I feel like it’s a—just to turn a competitive, you know, edge into us. So, Deni [Avdija] definitely number one.”

Morant quickly clarified that the lighthearted mental warfare wasn’t a sign of genuine locker room division. He seems at home with the team’s collective resilience.

“But he for sure like rage bait people to try to make you respond or get you mad, so when we have to play or something, you have an edge already,” Morant explained, confirming with a smile that the antics were strictly contained away from the public eye: “No, it was amongst each other. Yeah, just amongst each other.”

This isn’t just a positive update on Morant. It offers an optimistic outlook on a team that’s been through a lot this past season, only to be eliminated from the playoffs.

Navigating the Guard Logjam and Rewriting the “Bad Guy” Narrative

The tongue-in-cheek commentary on Deni Avdija’s locker-room presence sets a vibrant tone for what remains a highly scrutinized roster fit. The Blazers have new ownership, lost Tiago Splitter to the Bulls, have to deal with Tom Dundon’s thrifty measures, have to adjust to another new coach, Micah Nori, await Damian Lillard’s return, and now have a new star in Ja Morant. Analysts have widely questioned how the Trail Blazers intend to manage Morant alongside Damian Lillard.

Morant, however, dismissed any looming concerns regarding chemistry or reduced usage rates.

“I mean, I love it,” Morant stated when pressed on the on-court fit. “I feel like all those guys you name probably will most likely unlock, you know, new parts of my game. And, you know, I feel like I can do the same for them. I don’t feel like it’ll be a problem, you know, having us on the floor or making sure, you know, minutes match or anything. I feel like we’re all very unselfish and the ultimate goal is to win and, you know, that’s what we’re trying to do.”

When asked point-blank if he would care if he was asked to start or come off the bench, Morant bluntly replied, “No, I don’t.”

This team-first approach is refreshing from Morant, whose injuries and off-court drama kept him sidelined and culminated in friction in Memphis. But he’s a different person in Portland. Addressing that very reputation head-on, Morant admitted his biggest hurdle is correcting the misconception that he is a “bad guy.”

“I’m Ja,” Morant reflected. “I mean, obviously, I’ve done, you know, what I’ve done in the past, but it’s been addressed and handled already. So, I don’t see why, you know, years later, that’s still the topic when nothing happened since, you know. And I feel like if I was that guy, y’all wouldn’t be talking to me now. I wouldn’t be here.”

Despite the buildup to his exit, he said he had no ill will toward the Grizzlies organization, specifically saying it “was all love” for his former team. But now he is entirely focused on utilizing Portland’s clean slate to let his unselfish play do the talking.