One of the most notable takeaways from the Portland Trail Blazers Media Day was how happy Ja Morant seemed.
After an offseason in which the Blazers failed to land superstar names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, in large part because they wouldn't commit long-term to Portland, it's refreshing to see Morant embrace the Blazers franchise and city of Portland.
Ja Morant will benefit from a change of scenery with Blazers
Media Day showed Morant eager to prove himself with a fresh start -- one he says was needed for him personally after his time with the Memphis Grizzlies had ended.
"I wouldn't say it was needed, and I feel like it's always a way to get a fresh start, no matter where you're at. Obviously, when you have that chance to have one, it's very important that you take it seriously and take advantage of it," Morant said. "Obviously, how our past years went for me, I felt like it was needed for me. I can't speak for everybody else, but for me, yes. I feel a lot better and just ready to hoop, honestly."
It was a somewhat confusing answer because, at first, Morant said it wasn't needed, then went on to explain why this change of scenery mattered to him personally.
"Everything that's happened over the years pretty much was just stuck with me. Everyone keeps bringing them up. As long as Memphis was across my chest, it was still getting said. I'm pretty sure everybody is here probably still judging me off that some but now I get to start over," he added.
Say what you will about the on-court fit, but this is one of the best situations for Morant to be joining as far as veteran experience goes. He not only gets a much-needed fresh start in Portland, but also gets taken under the wing of veteran guards Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard. Having that infrastructure in place will go a long way for Morant's chances of returning to his former two-time All-Star status.
He hasn't been that player in some time for Memphis, with his last appearance coming in the 2022–23 season. Still at 27 years old, Morant should have plenty of gas left in the tank. How much of that was due to injuries, and how much to an unstable situation in Memphis toward the end of his tenure?
Given how little the Blazers had to surrender in the trade, that answer is worth finding out. But for Morant, you can already tell the positive impact this trade has had, so hopefully that translates to a resurgent 2026-27 campaign.
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