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Portland Acquires Ja Morant, Grant, Murray in $197M Deal

7/1/2026

44 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Ja Morant was traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Portland Trail Blazers on June 29, 2026.
Portland received Jerami Grant, rookie Kris Murray, and $1 million cash in exchange for Morant.
Morant signed a five-year, $197.23 million contract that includes a $42.17 million cap hit for the 2026-27 season.
Portland launched a “Lock In” branding campaign featuring Morant alongside Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Scoot Henderson.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 Michael Jordan signed a $33 million one-year deal, the NBA’s first contract exceeding $30 million and a benchmark for superstar pay. That precedent opened the door for later mega deals such as Stephen Curry’s $201 million five-year contract in 2017 and recent blockbuster contracts that drive teams like the Trail Blazers to launch branding campaigns.

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Story summary

Ja Morant was traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Portland Trail Blazers on June 29, 2026.
Portland received Jerami Grant, rookie Kris Murray, and $1 million cash in exchange for Morant.
Morant signed a five-year, $197.23 million contract that includes a $42.17 million cap hit for the 2026-27 season.
Portland launched a “Lock In” branding campaign featuring Morant alongside Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Scoot Henderson.

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