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It’s a big swing by the Trail Blazers and could suggest Portland
— with new owner Tom Dundon, whose Carolina Hurricanes just won
the Stanley Cup — might not be done making moves. Morant adds to
a logjam at point guard right now for Portland, with Jrue
Holiday, Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson also on the current
roster.
Morant has averaged 22.4 points for his career but has played
only 79 games over the last three seasons because of injuries
and suspensions — including a 25-game banishment after he was
seen on a livestream holding a gun while he was in the passenger
seat of a vehicle. That came not long after an eight-game
suspension for flashing a gun in a Denver-area nightclub, also
captured on social media.
The suspensions, combined, cost Morant — who was Rookie of the
Year after being the No. 2 selection in the 2019 draft, as well
as the league's Most Improved Player in 2021-22 when he appeared
to be on a path toward superstardom — about $9 million in lost
salary. He said in April 2025 that he's made his peace with
being a lightning rod for constant criticism.
“I’m kind of used to it,” Morant said at that time. “I was
pretty much a villain for two years now. Every little thing, if
somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be
out there. So, yeah. I don’t care no more.”
Grant averaged 18.6 points last season for Portland and will be
joining his sixth team by going to Memphis. Murray averaged 5.8
points this past season for the Trail Blazers.
Morant's MIP-award year in 2021-22 saw Memphis win 56 games,
tying a franchise record. That team was built around a young
core four of Morant, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr. and
Desmond Bane.
And now, they're all gone. Brooks played only one more season
with the Grizzlies after that and has changed teams twice since,
Bane went to Orlando last summer and Jackson was traded to Utah
in February.
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AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee,
contributed to this report.
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