Morant 1-for-2 trade grades: Trail Blazers take a low-cost gamble with risks, grade B-; Grizzlies fully rebuild, grade B

On June 30, Beijing time, the Grizzlies and Trail Blazers finalized a 1-for-2 trade, with Memphis shipping guard Ja Morant to Portland for forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. ESPN then provided its assessment of the transaction —

Trail Blazers grade: B-

Ja Morant, a two-time All-Star and former Most Improved Player, was once among the league's most entertaining young talents. However, the 26-year-old guard was acquired at such a low cost for multiple reasons — so low that Portland didn't even need to part with any draft picks.

Morant has faced multiple suspensions in recent seasons, most notably for brandishing a firearm on Instagram Live; in January 2024, he also underwent shoulder surgery for a labral tear.

Even when available, Morant faces two significant obstacles that hinder his return to elite offensive play in recent seasons.

First, his shooting has shown no improvement, with his three-point percentage peaking at 34% in the 2021-22 season. According to Stathead, among the 194 active players with at least 1,000 three-point attempts, Morant's career 31% clip ranks 189th.

To be fair, players behind him include Russell Westbrook and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who both manage superstar performances despite inconsistent three-point shooting. However, Westbrook and Giannis compensate for their shooting flaws with explosive athleticism and interior dominance, while Morant's driving ability — his hallmark during his peak — has steadily declined.

In the 2021-22 season, Morant ranked among the league leaders in paint points, a notable feat: according to GeniusIQ, the rest of the top names on that list were all centers or power forwards, such as Giannis and LeBron James. But since then, his paint scoring has decreased every season.

Thus, whether Morant can truly help the Trail Blazers and regain All-Star-level offensive production remains highly uncertain.

Although no rumors linked Portland to Morant before Monday, the trade does have some logical fit. Last season, the Trail Blazers suffered a prolonged point guard injury epidemic, leading to odd situations — for instance, forward Deni Avdija led the team in time of possession, and the team had the league's highest turnover rate.

Now, Portland has stockpiled ball-handling guards, but trading Grant has nearly emptied the frontcourt depth. Morant, Damian Lillard, Scoot Henderson, and Jrue Holiday can all play point guard. Among them, only Holiday provides solid defense and positional versatility; playing the other three together would create major issues: significant gaps in shooting and defense.

However, given injury concerns across this backcourt and Portland's ability to make further trades — such as moving Holiday for a player like Jaylen Brown — the seemingly crowded guard rotation may not be as problematic as it appears. If the team plans to use Henderson off the ball (he had just 6 assists on 59 postseason shots), Morant and Lillard sharing playmaking duties could be feasible.

The biggest concern for Portland is the long-term fit of this new acquisition, even without surrendering picks. Before the 2026 trade deadline, the Wizards similarly acquired Trae Young without giving up picks, only to later sign him to a four-year, $212 million max extension, turning a low-cost addition into a massive long-term burden.

However, the Trail Blazers are unlikely to repeat that mistake and won't rush into extension talks with Morant. The team can only hope this low-risk gamble pays off, allowing Morant to rediscover his superstar form from his Memphis days. The odds are slim, but not zero.

Grizzlies grade: B

Morant's market value has plummeted, his weaknesses have become more pronounced, and it's no surprise the Grizzlies couldn't fetch a high-value return. Essentially, this was a contract swap — exchanging Morant's deal for Grant's two-year contract.

Talking about contracts before players may sound harsh, but under the luxury tax apron rules, that's the reality. Grant had fallen behind Avdija and Toumani Camara in Portland's rotation. He still offers scoring (18.6 points per game last season) and reliable three-point shooting (39%), but his defense has declined and injuries have plagued him — he hasn't played more than 63 games in a season since 2020.

Kris Murray, the 23rd pick in the 2023 draft and twin brother of Keegan Murray, has appeared in 188 career games, averaging just 5.3 points. As a perimeter player, his career three-point percentage is a mere 26%, making it difficult for him to secure a stable NBA role.

Salary outlook: Grant is owed $34.2 million in 2026-27 and holds a $36.4 million player option for 2027-28; Morant is set to earn $42.2 million in 2026-27 and $44.9 million in 2027-28, the max extension he signed at the peak of his career in 2022.

Assuming Grant exercises his player option, Memphis would save roughly $8 million per season over the next two years.

The savings aren't huge, but without having to attach draft picks, unloading Morant's hefty contract and off-court troubles already counts as a win for the Grizzlies.

By trading Morant, the Grizzlies have completely dismantled the roster once considered the league's best young core: over the past 12 months, the team has shipped out Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Morant. In the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons when the trio played together, Memphis recorded 56 and 51 wins respectively, earning back-to-back No. 2 seeds in the West, but they won only one playoff series as a group.

Their era has faded quietly. Now the Grizzlies are fully pivoting to a rebuild, building a new young trio around Cam Boozer, Cedric Coward, and Zach Edey to replace the old core.