Ja Morant Sent the NBA a Warning Hours Before Trade to Trail Blazers: “They Tried to Bury My Passion”

Ja Morant is excited to start his new life in Portland after his trade to the Trail Blazers got confirmed.

Ja Morant Sent the NBA a Warning Hours Before Trade to Trail Blazers: “They Tried to Bury My Passion”

Ja Morant wants to stay in Memphis (Image via FirstSportz)

All the trade talks and noise surrounding Ja Morant have finally come to an end. The Memphis Grizzlies traded Morant to the Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray on Monday.

The move ends a deteriorating relationship between the player and the club. It is an unfortunate ending for both sides, as Morant was viewed by many as the Grizzlies’ franchise player and was expected to lead them for years to come.

After the trade was completed, Morant took to his Instagram to post a photo of himself shooting the basketball. The caption of the post read:

I stopped chasing approval and started chasing the feeling i almost forgot. They tried to bury my passion under doubt. All they did was give it fresh oxygen.

Ja Morant on Instagram

It appears that Ja Morant may be taking shots at his former club for losing his passion. Rumors of his exit were swirling throughout the 2025-26 campaign despite Morant reiterating his desire to stay with the Grizzlies.

Morant was drafted by the Grizzlies as the number two pick in the 2019 NBA draft. The first four seasons were promising as Morant led them to multiple playoff appearances and won Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player awards.

However, injuries and off-the-court issues took a toll on his NBA career. He made just 79 regular-season appearances over his last three seasons, struggling with injuries and suspensions. His career turned from one of the most entertaining players in the league to an underachiever. But it looks like Morant is putting the work in and is excited to kickstart the 2026-27 campaign in his new club.

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Ja Morant joins Damian Lillard in Portland

Multiple clubs were interested in trading for Ja Morant. While he has struggled to make a name for himself over the last three years, he is still in the prime of his career at 26. His move to the Trail Blazers sees him join Damian Lillard in the backcourt.

Coincidentally, Lillard has not played an NBA game in a long time as well. He tore his Achilles in the playoffs last year, which forced him to miss the entire 2025-26 season.

Ja Morant and Damian Lillard
Ja Morant and Damian Lillard (Image credits – WREG.com)

While his exit from the Grizzlies turned into an unfortunate divorce, the change in environment may do Morant a world of good at this point in his career. He will have an experienced Lillard by his side, who will be the team’s leader and let him shine. Lillard’s work ethic will be a welcome change for Morant.

Morant was heavily linked to the Miami Heat, especially after he made an investment in the city a few months ago. Only time will tell how Lillard and Morant will gel together in Portland. The Trail Blazers reached the first round of the playoffs this year and will look to build on their positive campaign.

Portland Trail Blazers believe that four guards can coexist after Ja Morant trade

It can be agreed that the Trail Blazers have not had so much talent in their roster before. The likes of Ja Morant, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, and Damian Lillard are all All-Star caliber players. While acquiring a talent like Morant can only mean good news, the move was a surprise to many as they already had three guards in their roster.

The Athletic’s Jason Quick has reported that the franchise are optimistic of the four guards coexisting together.

The Blazers believe the four guards can co-exist, in large part because the team believes Holiday can alleviate the redundancy by playing him off the ball as a shooting guard or small forward.

Jason Quick on The Athletic

Jrue Holiday was the veteran and leader for the Trail Blazers in the recently concluded 2025-26 campaign. With Lillard and Morant by his side, there is a lot of talent on the Trail Blazers roster next season. It remains to be seen how well they coexist with each other when the season gets underway.

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