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The Ja Morant era in Memphis is over.
The Grizzlies struck a deal to send Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday afternoon, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. In return, the Grizzlies will get Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.
In recent seasons, Morant's biggest issue has been staying on the court. This past season, he has played in just 20 games, missing time with calf and ankle injuries and serving a one-game suspension. He averaged fewer than 20 points per game for the first time since the 2020-21 NBA season, while averaging a career-low 3.3 rebounds per game.
Morant has not played more than 65 games in a season since his rookie year. During the 2023–24 season, Morant appeared in just nine games after serving a 25-game suspension to start the year and later suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
Morant's trade comes just months after the team traded away Jaren Jackson Jr. in a stunning eight-player swap with the Utah Jazz ahead of the trade deadline. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year was sent to the Jazz, along with John Konchar, Vince Williams Jr. and Jock Landale.
In return, the Grizzlies received Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks and Georges Niang — along with three future first-round draft picks.
The trades of Jackson and now Morant are just the latest dominoes to fall in what's become an obvious rebuild for Memphis.
Last season, the Grizzlies fired head coach Taylor Jenkins and promoted assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo just nine games before the playoffs. Jenkins spent six seasons with the franchise before the two sides parted ways.
In the offseason, the team traded Desmond Bane to the Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and a future pick swap after Bane signed a max rookie extension with the team in 2023. Bane had spent his first five seasons with the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies received high marks for their selections in the 2026 NBA Draft, though no player the team acquired was viewed as a replacement for Morant. While that suggested perhaps Morant could stick on the roster, reports emerged shortly after the draft suggesting he was still very much on the block.
This story will be updated with more information shortly.
Continue reading...
The Grizzlies struck a deal to send Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday afternoon, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. In return, the Grizzlies will get Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.
In recent seasons, Morant's biggest issue has been staying on the court. This past season, he has played in just 20 games, missing time with calf and ankle injuries and serving a one-game suspension. He averaged fewer than 20 points per game for the first time since the 2020-21 NBA season, while averaging a career-low 3.3 rebounds per game.
Morant has not played more than 65 games in a season since his rookie year. During the 2023–24 season, Morant appeared in just nine games after serving a 25-game suspension to start the year and later suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
Morant's trade comes just months after the team traded away Jaren Jackson Jr. in a stunning eight-player swap with the Utah Jazz ahead of the trade deadline. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year was sent to the Jazz, along with John Konchar, Vince Williams Jr. and Jock Landale.
In return, the Grizzlies received Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks and Georges Niang — along with three future first-round draft picks.
The trades of Jackson and now Morant are just the latest dominoes to fall in what's become an obvious rebuild for Memphis.
Last season, the Grizzlies fired head coach Taylor Jenkins and promoted assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo just nine games before the playoffs. Jenkins spent six seasons with the franchise before the two sides parted ways.
In the offseason, the team traded Desmond Bane to the Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and a future pick swap after Bane signed a max rookie extension with the team in 2023. Bane had spent his first five seasons with the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies received high marks for their selections in the 2026 NBA Draft, though no player the team acquired was viewed as a replacement for Morant. While that suggested perhaps Morant could stick on the roster, reports emerged shortly after the draft suggesting he was still very much on the block.
This story will be updated with more information shortly.
Continue reading...
