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Trail Blazers Trade for Ja Morant, Start With Lillard

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 11:38 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Portland Trail Blazers acquired guard Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade.
The trade sent Jerami Grant and forward Kris Murray to Memphis.
Portland’s media day on September 28 announced Damian Lillard’s return and Morant’s addition.
Last season Morant averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 assists and shot 23.5% from three in 20 games.
Coach Micah Nori plans to start Morant with Damian Lillard despite defensive and shooting concerns.

History

Historical Context

In 2012 the Portland Trail Blazers selected point guard Damian Lillard with the sixth overall pick, sparking a revival that ended a nine-year playoff drought in 2022. The 2024 trade sending guard Kris Murray to Memphis for star Ja Morant mirrors Portland’s earlier formula of pairing a veteran franchise cornerstone with an emerging backcourt talent, a strategy the Blazers used to rebuild and contend.

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Story summary

Portland Trail Blazers acquired guard Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade.
The trade sent Jerami Grant and forward Kris Murray to Memphis.
Portland’s media day on September 28 announced Damian Lillard’s return and Morant’s addition.
Last season Morant averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 assists and shot 23.5% from three in 20 games.
Coach Micah Nori plans to start Morant with Damian Lillard despite defensive and shooting concerns.

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