The Ja Morant trade is the kind of NBA news that stops you mid-scroll. On June 29, 2026, the Memphis Grizzlies sent their longtime star point guard to the Portland Trail Blazers. After seven seasons in Memphis, the partnership that once felt unbreakable came to an end.
- Ja Morant Quick Bio
- Who Is Ja Morant?
- From South Carolina to the NBA
- Ja Morant’s Rise with the Memphis Grizzlies
- Career Highlights and Stats
- The Controversies That Changed Everything
- The Injury Problems
- Why Memphis Decided to Make the Ja Morant Trade
- The Ja Morant Trade Details
- What Portland Gets in This Trade
- What Memphis Gets Back
- Reaction to the Ja Morant Trade
- What’s Next for Ja Morant in Portland
- Final Thoughts
Here’s the thing. This wasn’t a small move. Morant was the face of the Grizzlies. He brought energy, highlight dunks, and a fan base that loved watching him fly. So when the deal dropped, people had a lot of feelings about it.
Let’s break the whole thing down, piece by piece.
Ja Morant Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Temetrius Jamel Morant |
| Date of birth | August 10, 1999 (age 26) |
| Birthplace | Dalzell, South Carolina |
| Parents | Tee Morant (father), Jamie Morant (mother) |
| Sister | Teniya Morant |
| Daughter | Born August 7, 2019 |
| Position | Point guard |
| NBA Draft | 2019, 2nd overall pick, Memphis Grizzlies |
| Current team | Portland Trail Blazers (traded June 29, 2026) |
| Trade details | Sent to Portland for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray |
Who Is Ja Morant?
Ja Morant was born on August 10, 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina. His full name is Temetrius Jamel Morant. He grew up in a basketball family, which probably explains a lot.
His mom, Jamie, played point guard in high school and softball in college. His dad, Tee Morant, was a high school teammate of NBA star Ray Allen and later played at Claflin University.
To be honest, Tee gave up his own hoop dreams for his son. After playing semi-pro ball and thinking about going overseas, he stayed home once Jamie got pregnant with Ja. He became a barber instead.
Morant trained in his backyard with his dad. Tee even bought tractor tires for him to jump on so he could land softly. Ja also has a younger sister, Teniya, who now plays at Mississippi Valley State. He has a daughter who was born on August 7, 2019.
From South Carolina to the NBA
What’s interesting is that almost nobody saw Morant coming. He wasn’t ranked by ESPN, 247Sports, or Rivals in the 2017 class. His only big-name offer came from South Carolina.
Then a Murray State assistant coach spotted him by accident at a camp, while looking for a snack of all things. That moment changed everything.
At Murray State, Morant exploded. As a sophomore, he became the first player in NCAA history to average at least 20 points and 10 assists in a single season. He led the country in assists and won OVC Player of the Year.
That run pushed him into the national spotlight and set up his jump to the pros.
Ja Morant’s Rise with the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies picked Morant second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. He signed a four-year deal worth $39.6 million and got to work right away.
He made his NBA debut in October 2019. By his second season, he led Memphis back to the playoffs for the first time in years. Grizzlies fans had a new hero, and the city bought in fast.
For a while, it felt like Memphis had found its franchise cornerstone.
Career Highlights and Stats
Morant’s résumé is loaded. Here are the big ones:
- NBA Rookie of the Year in 2020
- 2× NBA All-Star (2022 and 2023)
- NBA Most Improved Player in 2022
- All-NBA Second Team in 2022
- Career-high 52 points against the San Antonio Spurs in 2022
In that 2021–22 season, he averaged 27.4 points per game, his best mark. He also helped Memphis win their first Southwest Division title in franchise history.
He even joined Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as one of only three players to have multiple 45-point playoff games before turning 23. That’s elite company.
The Controversies That Changed Everything
Now we get to the messy part. Morant’s career hit some serious bumps off the court.
In March 2023, the NBA investigated a video of him showing a gun at a Colorado nightclub on Instagram Live. He stepped away from the team and entered a counseling program. The league suspended him eight games.
Then it happened again. In May 2023, he flashed a gun in another Instagram Live session. This time the NBA hit him with a 25-game suspension.
There were legal matters too. A 2022 lawsuit accused him of punching a teenager during a pickup game. In 2025, a judge ruled he acted in self-defense and dismissed the case.
In 2025, he also made finger-gun gestures on the court and got fined $75,000. The label of “villain” started following him around.
The Injury Problems
Here’s the thing nobody can ignore. Morant just couldn’t stay healthy.
In January 2024, he had season-ending shoulder surgery after only nine games. Then in November 2024, he hurt himself trying to dunk and missed 10 more games. He even said he’d stop dunking to protect his body.
The 2025–26 season was rough too. He suffered a UCL sprain in his left elbow in January 2026 and was eventually shut down for the rest of the year. He played only 20 games that season.
Add it all up, and he played just 79 total games over his last three seasons. That’s a tough number for any team building around one player.
Why Memphis Decided to Make the Ja Morant Trade
So why did Memphis pull the trigger? A few reasons stack up.
The injuries piled up. The off-court drama wore on the franchise. And after firing coach Taylor Jenkins in March 2025, things clearly felt different inside the organization.
Morant had also expressed frustration with his role late in the 2024–25 season. When a star and a team stop pulling in the same direction, a move often follows. The Ja Morant trade was Memphis choosing a fresh start.
The Ja Morant Trade Details
Let’s get to the actual deal. On June 29, 2026, the Memphis Grizzlies traded Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers.
In return, Memphis received forward Jerami Grant and forward Kris Murray. That’s the full framework of the Ja Morant trade.
It’s a classic swap of a high-ceiling but high-risk star for steadier, win-now pieces. Simple on paper, huge in impact.
What Portland Gets in This Trade
Portland lands a two-time NBA All-Star point guard who, when healthy, can carry an offense. At his peak, Morant is one of the most exciting players in the league.
If he stays on the court, the Trail Blazers get a true franchise-level talent. That upside is exactly why Portland made the move.
What Memphis Gets Back
Memphis gets Jerami Grant and Kris Morant… sorry, Kris Murray. Grant is a versatile veteran forward who can score and defend. Murray is a younger wing piece.
For a team hitting reset, those two add depth and flexibility without the injury and headline risk Morant carried. It’s a swap built around reliability.
Reaction to the Ja Morant Trade
To be honest, the Ja Morant trade split people right down the middle.
Some fans felt Memphis gave up on a generational talent too soon. Others believed the injuries and the off-court issues made the deal smart business. Trade rumors had been swirling for a while, with several teams reportedly interested.
Either way, it’s the kind of move that gets debated for years.
What’s Next for Ja Morant in Portland
A fresh city. A new locker room. A clean slate. That’s what Portland offers.
If Morant can stay healthy and keep the noise down, he could remind everyone why he was a top-five pick in his prime. The Trail Blazers are betting big on that version of him showing up.
The pressure is real, but so is the opportunity.
Final Thoughts
The Ja Morant trade closes one chapter and opens another. Memphis moved on from its franchise star. Portland took a swing on a player with All-Star talent and plenty to prove.
What happens next really comes down to Morant himself. Health, focus, and consistency will decide whether this trade looks brilliant or risky in a few years.
For now, all eyes are on Portland. If you want to dig deeper into his full career, awards, and timeline, his detailed Wikipedia profile lays out the whole story from his Murray State days to this latest move.
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