Grizzlies trade Morant to Trail Blazers for Grant, Murray

The Memphis Grizzles traded Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.

Morant, 26, averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists in 20 games for the Grizzles last season. His campaign ended in March due to a UCL sprain in his left elbow.

The Grizzlies attempted to trade the two-time All-Star guard before last season’s deadline but didn’t receive any serious offers. Morant has played just 79 games over the past three seasons due to a combination of off-court issues and injuries.

Morant served two separate firearm-related suspensions in 2023, including a 25-game ban to begin the 2023-24 season after displaying a handgun on his friend’s Instagram Live stream. The Grizzlies suspended him for one game last November following a heated confrontation with coach Tuomas Iisalo after a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Murray State product has two years and close to $87 million remaining on his current contract, according to Spotrac.

Morant will join Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday in Portland’s backcourt and play alongside Deni Avdija under new Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori.

The 32-year-old Grant is a 12-year NBA vet who spent the past four campaigns with the Trail Blazers. He averaged 18.6 points last season while shooting 45% from the field.

Murray, 25, was one of Portland’s first-round picks in 2023. He was selected in the same draft as Scoot Henderson. The forward averaged 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 57 games last season.

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