Ja Morant traded to Trail Blazers as Memphis complete their rebuild reset and Portland make their big swing

Ja Morant's time in Memphis is over. The Memphis Grizzlies have traded the two-time All-Star point guard to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, ending one of the most turbulent franchise relationships in recent NBA history and sending Morant to rebuild his career on the West Coast. For all the latest, follow the latest NBA news.

The trade completes a full dismantling of the Grizzlies' core that once looked capable of competing for an NBA title. Memphis had already dealt Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. following their first-round sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 playoffs. Morant, the centrepiece of that era, is the last of the three to go. The Grizzlies are now in full rebuild mode, and Morant is the most significant asset they have moved.

For Portland, the acquisition of Morant is a franchise-defining swing. The Trail Blazers have been building carefully since the Damian Lillard era ended, and Morant now joins a young roster that made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2021. The challenge will be fitting him alongside Lillard, who returned to Portland on a three-year deal, and veterans Jrue Holiday and Deni Avdija. The backcourt is suddenly crowded with quality, and how coach Chauncey Billups manages those relationships and roles will define whether this works.

Morant carries baggage, and Portland knows it. His Grizzlies tenure was defined by both explosive brilliance and a series of off-court controversies involving firearms that led to two separate NBA suspensions. The league monitored him closely in the seasons that followed, and while his play recovered, his public image never fully recovered the shine it had when he was winning Most Improved Player and leading Memphis to the second seed. Portland is betting that a change of scenery and a fresh start can unlock the version of Morant that made him one of the most electrifying players in the league.

The contract situation adds an interesting layer. Morant has two years and approximately 87 million dollars remaining on his current deal, and he is eligible to sign a three-year, 178-million-dollar extension this summer. Whether Portland moves quickly on that extension or waits to evaluate the fit will be one of the first tests of the new regime's confidence in the acquisition. If they extend him quickly, it signals full commitment. If they wait, it signals caution about the long-term.

Grant goes to Memphis as a veteran presence for a rebuilding squad, while Murray adds upside at a reasonable cost. The Grizzlies effectively received serviceable pieces in exchange for a max-contract star, which reflects both Morant's market value and the challenges his history created in trade negotiations.

The NBA offseason has only just begun, and this is already one of its defining moves. For every update as Portland builds around their new star and the trade market continues to shift, follow the latest NBA news.