Trail Blazers Land 26-Year-Old Ja Morant for Grant, Murray as Grizzlies Turn to Cam Boozer
Updated
Updated · SB Nation · Jun 29
Trail Blazers Land 26-Year-Old Ja Morant for Grant, Murray as Grizzlies Turn to Cam Boozer
3 articles · Updated · SB Nation · Jun 29
Summary
Portland acquired Ja Morant from Memphis for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, a low-cost swing that reportedly required no draft picks or key rotation players.
Memphis made the move to clear the way for No. 3 pick Cam Boozer after Morant’s injuries, suspensions and declining production eroded his trade market.
Portland is expected to pair Morant with 36-year-old Damian Lillard in the backcourt, a setup that boosts shot creation but raises immediate defensive and ball-dominance concerns.
Grant leaves with two years and $70.6 million left on his contract, while Morant arrives with two years and $87 million remaining and a chance to rebuild value at age 26.
The deal resets both franchises: the Blazers bet on Morant’s upside after his fall from All-NBA form, while the Grizzlies pivot fully into a younger core built around Boozer.