Ja Morant Reacts to Blazers Trade in Viral Social Media Post

The Portland Trail Blazers acquired Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray earlier in the offseason.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant reacts during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's been nearly three months since the Portland Trail Blazers acquired Ja Morant in a blockbuster trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Morant, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, spent the first seven seasons of his career in the Bluff City, so this is his first time experiencing this part of the business in the league. Morant has been the franchise cornerstone of the Grizzlies ever since he arrived, but with a rebuild getting underway in Memphis, the team no longer saw a fit for the All-Star point guard.

Though a trade was not necessarily a shock, the realization that he had finally been dealt was a surprise to Morant in a video that has now been posted on social media from the day the trade broke.

ja morant reaction to getting traded 🥲 pic.twitter.com/DDSMYtLqRg

— Brandon Pham (@himskiii_12) September 19, 2026

What the Ja Morant Trade Means for Blazers

Morant's trade value had diminished over the past several months, but the Blazers felt the desire to take a chance on him. Portland is hoping to return to the playoffs after ending a five-year drought last season, and Morant definitely helps improve those odds.

While the Blazers already have Damian Lillard, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday at the point guard position, adding Morant gives them the opportunity to put another star player on the court. Morant may not be coming off the best showing of his career.

Last season with the Grizzlies, he averaged 19.5 points per game, the lowest since the 2020-21 campaign, his second year in the league. He broke a four-year streak of averaging 23 points or more, but there is hope that Morant can find a revitalized chapter in his career with Portland.

Morant has only played in 79 games across the last three seasons for the Grizzlies due to injury and suspension. Of those games, 50 came during the 2024-25 season, when he helped the Grizzlies reach the playoffs.

If Morant can stay healthy for Portland, he has a chance to build a team in the West that will be able to compete for a playoff spot. That is pretty much the ceiling for the Blazers going into the year. It's hard to imagine them winning a playoff series when established contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets don't look like they are going anywhere.

However, Morant gives the Blazers a lot of intrigue, and they could be a tough team that nobody wants to face come playoff time if everything works out the way they envision.