The Portland Trail Blazers are rolling out the red carpet for their newly acquired superstar, even as the organization navigates growing public tension behind the scenes. Following a blockbuster trade with the Memphis Grizzlies that sent Jerami Grant and Kris Murray south, Portland unveiled the “Call Ja” campaign that bypassed the standard presser with an interactive fan hotline designed to usher in a fresh era of Rip City basketball.

The initiative was launched alongside a cinematic video posted by the Blazers’ official social media pages and Ja Morant himself, opening with a ringing phone and media audio announcing the trade. It accompanied a direct message from the two-time All-Star.

“Rip City, you called?” Morant asks.

It’s not just fanciful content. The Blazers provide a number to actually leave Morant a message. By dialing (855)-CALL-1-JA or visiting the team’s dedicated campaign page, supporters can leave personal voicemails welcoming the 26-year-old guard to Oregon, with select callers gaining a chance to win an autographed jersey.

However, the creative marketing drive lands during an increasingly tumultuous summer for the franchise. New majority owner Tom Dundon finalized his purchase of the team earlier this year but it hasn’t gone as imagined.

He has drawn significant backlash from fans and media members over aggressive, cost-cutting operational measures. From sweeping front-office layoffs and broadcast team restructuring to tense negotiations with local officials regarding Moda Center renovations, Dundon’s corporate blueprint has left Portland’s basketball fans anxious that they might be losing their team along with players like Ja Morant and Deni Avdija.

Trail Blazers reconnect with Portland through Ja Morant

Despite the off-court executive noise, the Trail Blazers front office, led by general manager Joe Cronin, remains fixated on maximizing on-court talent. After monitoring star markets throughout the offseason, Portland committed to pairing Morant with new cornerstone, Deni Avdija and a healthy Damian Lillard, who is set to return following an Achilles injury that sidelined him last season.

The campaign explicitly targeting Rip City comes when the city itself is clashing with the new ownership. The renovations for the Moda Center have been stalled and Dundon has reportedly made threats to relocation the Blazers, the only sports team in Portland.

Portlanders are accusing Dundon of stalling on a term sheet negotiation to ultimately relocate the team out of the city.

There’s speculation that Dundon wants to make the Blazers the Las Vegas expansion team. He reportedly was keen on bidding for the Vegas team before buying the Blazers for $4.25 billion earlier this year.

An impending August 12 meeting for the Portland City Council to approve a final term sheet could be the last chance the team and city come to an agreement. But Blazers fans are afraid that they’d end up like the heartbroken fans of Seattle in 2008 who saw Kevin Durant & Co relocated and rebranded to the New Orleans Pelicans. Some even joked using the hotline to call Ja and ask if he’s heading to Vegas.

As Morant steps into his primary starring role, the explosive point guard is also embracing a fresh visual identity. After wearing No. 12 throughout his seven-year tenure in Memphis, Morant will officially wear No. 1 for the Blazers, becoming just the 11th player in franchise history to wear the digit.

“When I was younger, I was underrecruited, so it was some type of motivation and confidence that went into anything I was doing,” Morant explained during his introductory press conference when discussing the switch.

While Morant initially sought to retain his signature No. 12, the Trail Blazers organization redirected him, signaling that the number is being preserved to honor franchise icon LaMarcus Aldridge. Morant has fully embraced the transition to No. 1. With an interactive fan hotline active and a revamped backcourt ready to take the floor, the Trail Blazers are hoping Morant’s arrival provides the spark needed to anchor their next postseason pursuit and perhaps keep the team in Portland.