Ja Morant Embraces Fresh Start With Portland After Memphis Trade

Ja Morant, the 26-year-old NBA guard, spoke publicly for the first time about his recent trade from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Portland Trail Blazers. Addressing the media during the Las Vegas Summer League, Morant described the move as an opportunity to start anew and shed the negative image that has followed him in recent years. "I want people to stop seeing me as the bad guy," he said, emphasizing that past mistakes have been addressed and that he has matured since then.

Morant was suspended twice in 2023 for incidents involving displaying a firearm on live Instagram streams, resulting in a total of 33 games missed. Despite these setbacks and injuries limiting him to 20 games last season, he averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists. The trade last month sent Morant to Portland in exchange for Jeremy Grant and Kris Murray moving to Memphis.

Morant expressed enthusiasm about joining Portland, calling it a "new home, new team, and new organization." He highlighted the competitive nature of his new teammates, singling out guard Danny Abdiya as someone who "loves to annoy people" to provoke reactions. Morant also praised the team's guard lineup, including Damian Lillard and Scott Henderson, noting their unselfishness and shared goal of winning regardless of starting roles.

He concluded by affirming his positive feelings toward Memphis, calling it "home" and acknowledging the strong bonds with teammates and fans there. Morant described the fan criticism as "tough love from family" and reflected fondly on his years with the Grizzlies.