Ja Morant trade grades for Blazers, Grizzlies

Grizzlies receive: Jerami Grant, Kris Murray

The Grizzlies seemed as though they’d reached their ceiling with back-to-back seasons earning the two-seed in the Western Conference, but not even a Conference Finals appearance to show for it. Their trades involving Bane and Jackson made a lot of sense because of the surplus of capital they received in return.

However, it was always Morant who seemed like the most likely player to be moved. While once viewed as a future face of the NBA and one of the league’s greatest rising stars, opinions surrounding Morant have soured in recent years. He has struggled with injury issues and off-the-court problems, and an inability to stay healthy or avoid suspensions has resulted in the point guard playing just 79 games over the last three seasons.

Morant’s production has regressed, too. After previously averaging as much as 27.4 points per game, Morant was only able to score 19.5 points per game this past season. His elite athleticism and advanced driving ability haven’t looked as dominant as they used to, plus the 3-point shot hasn’t been falling (23.5% last season). To make matters worse, Morant’s lack of defense has gotten him into trouble, too.

Many have pegged the guard as a non-winner, and conflicts with the Grizzlies’ coaching staff made trading him a near-must. Even so, this trade return really hurts, as the Grizzlies got almost nothing back for a multi-time All-Star who is just 26 years old. Jerami Grant has transformed from a role player to a high-volume scorer in recent years, but at 32 years old, he doesn’t really fit Memphis’ timeline. Murray was billed as a 3-and-D player coming into the NBA, but he has been below 28% from deep in each of his three professional seasons so far. While they got loads of draft picks for their prior big trades, they didn’t receive a single pick in this deal.

Moving on from a player who needed a change of scenery is one thing, and it was well known that Morant didn’t have much value in the trade market, but this trade just doesn’t improve the Grizzlies’ current or future outlook.

Grade: C-

Trail Blazers add another star

Trail Blazers receive: Ja Morant

The Trail Blazers trade for Morant is a polarizing one. On the one hand, the team didn’t really need another point guard, and Morant’s fit in Portland is questionable. Morant needs the ball in his hands to be successful, but the Trail Blazers have another lead guard, Damian Lillard, returning to the fold next year.

Lillard missed all of last season, but he is one of the best players in franchise history. The two are expected to start alongside each other in a backcourt with tons of offensive pop, but one that will lack size and could struggle on the defensive side of the floor. The Trail Blazers also have former number three overall pick Scoot Henderson, who needs minutes at the one, and while Jrue Holiday may be a primary shooting guard at this point, he has spent much of his career as a point guard.

It is possible that the Morant trade was a precursor to another deal, but for now, the Trail Blazers have a backcourt logjam. Plus, it is possible that the Murray State product won’t shake the injury bug, his off-court problems, or the on-court struggles that have plagued him in recent years.

With all of that said, this trade was likely worth the risk for the Trail Blazers. While Morant is making over $40 million in each of the next two seasons, it is worth noting that Grant is also one of the most overpaid players in the NBA. He will make close to $40 million in each of the next two years as well. Grant has also had his fair share of injury woes, as he has played over 60 games just once in the last six seasons, and he only played 63 games in that 2022-23 season.

There is a solid chance that Morant will return to his superstar ways on a new team as well. He was considered one of the best point guards in the NBA during his first few professional seasons because of his excellent slashing ability. While his scoring numbers are down in recent years, he has improved as a playmaker, too.

A combination of Morant and Deni Avdija will be nearly impossible to stop from getting to the rim, and both players can rely on Lillard to carry the shooting burden. Plus, elite defenders like Holiday, Donovan Clingan, and Toumani Camara can pick up the slack on the defensive end. At the end of the day, the Trail Blazers were able to trade for a former All-Star who is supposed to be entering his prime without giving up a single draft pick or any players from their core that they wanted to have stick around. That is admirable and worthy of a trade grade of a B.

Grade: B