The Portland Trail Blazers made their first playoff appearance since 2021 this past season, partially because forward Deni Avdija earned his first All-Star nod and averaged 24.2 points on 46.2% shooting (31.8% 3-point) with 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists over 33.3 minutes (66 games). Now, the Trail Blazers are assembling a deep backcourt to pair with the ascending 25-year-old.
In addition to nine-time All-Star guard Damian Lillard returning from injury next season, Portland agreed to acquire two-time All-Star Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, per ESPN's Shams Charania. It will give up forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in exchange.
Trail Blazers Have Overload of Guards
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On top of Morant and Lillard, Portland also has Scoot Henderson, Jrue Holiday and Shaedon Sharpe. Morant and Lillard are primarily on-ball players, while Henderson is a combo guard and the latter two are off-ball.
Holiday started 51 out of his 53 games in 2025-26 and will make $38.4 million next season before a $37.2 million player option next summer. Meanwhile, Henderson started 10 out of 30 games but started all five of the Trail Blazers' playoff contests against the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 15 points on 47.5% shooting (46.4% 3-point) over 29 minutes in the series. The 22-year-old will make $13.58 million on his club option next season before hitting restricted free agency.
Additionally, Lillard will make $13.39 million next year before a $14.1 million player option. The 35-year-old missed last season after tearing his Achilles tendon in the 2025 playoffs while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Finally, Sharpe signed a four-year, $90 million extension in October and averaged 20.8 points on 45.2% shooting (33.7% 3-point) with 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists over 29.4 minutes. Portland drafted the 6-foot-5, 210-pounder No. 7 overall out of Kentucky in 2022.
Morant will make $42.16 million next season before making $44.88 million on the final year of his deal in 2027-28. The 26-year-old has only played 79 games in the last three seasons due to injuries and suspensions, but earned All-Star nods in each of the two campaigns before that.
Portland will start Morant and Lillard alongside each other, per NBA on Prime's Chris Haynes.
"The Portland Trail Blazers envision a starting backcourt of Damian Lillard and Ja Morant alongside Deni Avdija on the wing," he reported. "A very unconventional move that the franchise believes has upside. Ja Morant gets his fresh start. Jerami Grant and Kris Murray off to Memphis."
Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor theorized about a potentialJaylen Brown trade with the Boston Celtics as the organization's next step.
"Acquiring Ja Morant feels like a set-up trade to me given all the Jaylen Brown rumors in Portland," he said. "Now the Blazers could feel more comfortable sending Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe with draft picks to Boston for Jaylen Brown. We'll see what happens."
Portland is the front-runner for Brown, per The Athletic's Sam Amick.
