The NBA’s summer of chaos just claimed another franchise cornerstone. While Giannis Antetokounmpo’s seismic move to Miami was still reverberating around the league, Memphis quietly did something even more striking – they traded Ja Morant. The Grizzlies weren’t moving Ja Morant, the All-NBA player. They were moving Ja Morant, the player who had appeared in fewer than one full season’s worth of games over the past three years.
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ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news: the Portland Trail Blazers are acquiring the two-time All-Star in exchange for veteran forward Jerami Grant and young wing Kris Murray- no draft picks attached. Read that again. One of the most electrifying guards of his generation, gone for an aging forward and a roster piece. The 2x All-Star has two years left of his $197.2 million extension, which he signed in 2022.
“They felt like they had to take a swing based on the talent that Ja Morant has, in hopes that he has a chip on his shoulder for motivation to turn his career around,” Charania said on SportsCenter. “I will add one more note: the Blazers did speak to Ja Morant today shortly after the trade. I’m told he expressed to them that he’s excited to be in Portland.”
BREAKING: The Memphis Grizzlies are trading two-time NBA All-Star Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, sources tell ESPN.
The writing was on the wall for some time. Memphis’ final home game of the season – a 142-126 blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers was also Fan Appreciation Night, but Morant could only watch from the bench in street clothes as his teammates gave their jerseys away to fans.
The Grizzlies had reportedly informed him just an hour before tip-off that he wouldn’t be part of the giveaway. As he walked off the court afterward, Morant paused, clasped his hands in a prayer motion, and looked up toward the FedExForum rafters, a quiet, wordless goodbye to the only NBA home he had ever known.
He also flashed a peace sign to fans on his way out, a gesture that went viral and that few needed to have explained to them.
By that point, the subtext was everywhere. His seven-bedroom Eads mansion – the 13,000-square-foot estate he’d bought from teammate Kyle Anderson in 2022 for $3.05 million, right next door to his parents, had already been listed for $3.5 million. And now, Portland is betting that a fresh start is all Morant needs to remind the league what he’s capable of.
Using a 125% trade exception to complete the Morant acquisition hard-caps Portland at the first apron, explained NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan.
The Blazers keep tax room for moves like re-signing Robert Williams and using the $15M non-tax MLE, plus exceptions such as biannual and smaller trade exceptions. They traded away Jerami Grant ($34.2 million) and Kris Murray ($5.3 million) and no further picks to bring Ja Morant to Rip City.
Morant remains one of the league’s most explosive guards when healthy, averaging 22.4 points and 7.4 assists over his career. The Blazers are betting that a change of scenery can help him rediscover his All-NBA form.
Morant’s durability remains the biggest question. He has played only 79 games over the previous three seasons while also serving suspensions during that stretch.
Before landing Morant, Portland had been connected with several marquee names as it searched for another superstar to pair with its core.
Among the players reportedly linked to the Trail Blazers were Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Anthony Davis. Ultimately, rather than waiting for another opportunity, Portland pivoted and acquired Morant.
What’s next for the Blazers after the Ja Morant trade?
Portland was the last team that needed a ball-handling point guard. Damian Lillard will suit up for the first time in the upcoming season after missing out the 2025-26 season due to the Achilles tear. But they also had Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson on the roster before pulling off that blockbuster trade for Ja Morant.
NBA TV’s Chris Haynes reported that the Trail Blazers plan to start Morant alongside Damian Lillard and Deni Avdija.
This would give them an unconventional backcourt advantage despite the apparent overlap in ball-handling responsibilities. Now, some sources believe that trading for Ja Morant was the first name, and the next one involves trading for Jaylen Brown. Reporter Evan Sidery also suggested that this could be possible.
Boston would receive Jrue Holiday, Shaedon Sharpe, and Scoot Henderson with a combined salary of ($68.4 million) alongside draft compensation. Meanwhile, Portland will receive Brown and Sam Hauser for $67.9 million.