The Portland Trail Blazers are acquiring Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade that sends Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis, according to ESPN.
The move ends Morant's seven-season run with the Grizzlies. Memphis selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, and he went on to win Rookie of the Year in 2020 and the NBA's Most Improved Player award in 2022.
Morant was once one of the NBA's most dangerous downhill guards, but injuries reduced some of that burst over time. He also never became a consistent 3-point shooter or a dependable defender, and multiple off-court incidents led to suspensions during his Memphis tenure.
His relationship with the Grizzlies deteriorated further early last season after he questioned how new coach Tuomas Iisalo was using him. Memphis tried to trade him at the February deadline, but the deal with Portland comes before free agency begins this offseason.
Morant, who turns 27 in August, played in only 20 games last season before he was shut down in January because of an elbow issue. He now joins a Portland roster that already includes Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, while Deni Avdija made his first All-Star team as the Blazers' primary ball-handler.
Portland is taking a buy-low swing on a player with All-NBA-level talent, but the fit is complicated. Lillard also needs the ball, Holiday is already in place, and Avdija handled major creation duties last season.
The Blazers also had the NBA's third-lowest 3-point percentage last season and are moving Grant, their best 3-point shooter, for Morant, a career 31.1% shooter from deep. Grant and Murray were owed about $76 million over the next two years, while Morant is owed about $87 million over that span, with a 15% trade kicker that could raise the total if he does not waive it.
No draft picks were included in the deal. Murray was extension-eligible, and Grant's contract had become difficult for Portland despite improved shooting last season.
Avdija's contract adds another layer to the roster math. He is due $13.1 million, and Portland's ability to renegotiate before he reaches free agency in 2028 could be affected by the added money on Morant's deal.
Morant did show signs of improvement late in his abbreviated season, averaging 22 points over eight games in December and January while reaching the rim more often than he had earlier. Memphis, meanwhile, moves on with Grant and Murray as it turns the page from the Morant era.