At first, it was hard to see the vision behind the Portland Trail Blazers trade for polarizing Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant. Though Morant has yet to play a meaningful regular-season game in Portland, the fit already looks far better than initially expected in preseason.
Offensively, the ball-handling and playmaking he provides this offense far outweigh the shooting and floor spacing concerns. Defensively, Morant has even been better than advertised. Plus, the Blazers are one of the most well-equipped teams in the league to cover for his lack of positional size thanks to a frontcourt anchored by rising star Donovan Clingan.
It's becoming increasingly easier to see why general manager Joe Cronin ultimately decided this was the trade he wanted to pull the trigger on.
Blazers already benefiting from the controversial Ja Morant trade
Portland was rumored to be buyers dating back to February's trade deadline, as many around the league expected an aggressive trade to support their ambitious playoff push. Cronin was surprisingly quiet, with the only trade being a move on the margins with the acquisition of Atlanta Hawks sharpshooter Vit Krejci.
They impressively managed to exceed expectations despite Krejci failing to make a meaningful impact, as his typically reliable three-point shot suddenly disappeared somewhere with Bigfoot in the majestic Pacific Northwest. That made it even more apparent that Cronin would make his splash in the offseason. Tom Dundon's arrival, paired with Damian Lillard's return, gave him all the more reason to continue accelerating this rebuild.
It's hard to find a star traded this offseason that the Blazers weren't involved in trade talks with one way or another. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the headliner example, as Portland was a serious dark horse in the sweepstakes thanks to having Milwaukee's future draft capital from the Damian Lillard blockbuster deal. Jaylen Brown was another player Portland was frequently linked to, and it was even revealed that they had interest in LaMelo Ball following the Timberwolves trade.
After all that, it was Morant -- one of the few stars on the move this offseason the Blazers weren't connected to -- who Cronin decided to take a flyer on.
Add Ja Morant to the list of bold trades GM Joe Cronin has won
That also aligns with Dundon's approach he took in successfully turning around the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, where he bought low on distressed assets. The surprising Morant deal is the first example of that approach translating from Carolina to Portland, and early indications are incredibly promising.
Morant may not return fully to form in terms of becoming that former two-time All-Star he was in Memphis. But the Blazers don't need him to be in order to return value on this trade. All they gave up was another perceived negative asset in Jerami Grant and a floor-shrinking Kris Murray, who was too much of an offensive liability to fit with this roster. The talent upgrade is already a clear win in itself, which is huge for a Blazers team looking to bridge the gap in that department to join the tier of Western Conference contenders.
Portland's rebuilding ceiling has a history of being raised thanks to bold Cronin trades that were initially criticized only to ultimately work out in their favor. The Deni Avdija deal with the Washington Wizards is the most notable example, as many didn't think the rebuilding Blazers had any business attaching draft picks to land a more established role player.
There was a similar level of criticism surrounding the Morant trade, this time the issue being his off-court issues and roster fit. Preseason has already shown how much those concerns have been blown out of proportion, as Morant's unselfishness is making this imperfect backcourt fit actually work.
There's nothing to suggest this won't continue into the regular season, with Portland's season opener coming Wednesday, October 21 against the Phoenix Suns. With tip-off less than a week away, it's only a matter of time before the league starts realizing how much of a steal this Morant trade is for Portland.
Then, we can officially add Morant to the list of controversial, bold, and surprising trades Cronin has pulled off, only to ultimately work out in the Blazers' favor.
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