Memphis Grizzlies Agree to Trade Ja Morant to Portland Trail Blazers
The Memphis Grizzlies have traded star guard Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers. In exchange, Memphis will receive Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Memphis is ending an era after trading all three of their former star players, including Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Junior. Portland is adding Morant to a roster that includes Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard. Morant has played only seventy-nine games over three seasons due to injuries and suspensions.
The Memphis Grizzlies have decided to trade their star player, Ja Morant, to the Portland Trail Blazers. According to sources from ESPN, Memphis will receive Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in exchange. This deal marks the end of an era for Memphis, which has traded all three former star players. They previously traded Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Junior because the team did not succeed in the playoffs. In four playoff appearances with those three stars, Memphis managed to win only a single series. Recently, the Oklahoma City Thunder swept the team in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Memphis is now building a new squad around Cameron Boozer, who was the third draft pick.
Meanwhile, Portland is adding the young star to a team that has recently improved. The Blazers reached the playoffs last year for the first time since 2021, with Deni Avdija as leader. However, Portland already has a crowded backcourt with many guards, including Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard. Lillard recently returned to the team on a three-year contract after the Bucks waived him. The roster also includes young players like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.
Morant has two years and eighty-seven million dollars remaining on his contract, but he has struggled. He played only seventy-nine games in the last three seasons because of many injuries and suspensions. For example, he missed games due to shoulder and elbow problems that kept him off the court. Furthermore, the league suspended him for displaying a firearm on an Instagram live stream. If Morant works hard in Portland, he will probably succeed with his new team.
Take a position. Out loud, if you can.
Four ways to start. Pick one and try saying it before you scroll on.
Tip · Record yourself, use in a notebook, or practice with a language partner.
Which player was selected as the third draft pick in 2026?
Present Perfect Tense
Use present perfect to connect past actions (deciding to trade) with their relevance in the present situation.
“The Memphis Grizzlies have decided to trade their star player, Ja Morant, to the Portland Trail Blazers.”
What to know · B1
Try saying this aloud
Scenario: You want to discuss team strategies or changes at your local club.
- 01“We need to rebuild the roster.”
- 02“He decided to join another club.”
- 03“Let's focus on our goals.”
Register tip · informal
🔑Key Phrases
Expresses that the team is changing its identity completely.
His retirement marks the end of an era for the business.
Describes the team's improvement and milestone.
They reached the finals last year for the first time since 2018.
Details the player's remaining financial obligations.
The worker has one year and forty thousand dollars remaining on his lease.
Shows the cause of his long suspension.
Furthermore, the boss fired him for arriving late to the crucial meeting.
💬Discussion Questions
Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.
- 1
How does a player's personal behavior off the court influence their team's reputation?
Evaluate - 2
What are the advantages and disadvantages of rebuilding a team with young draft picks?
Compare - 3
Why might a player choose to return to their former team, as Damian Lillard did?
Opinion - 4
How do you think injuries mentally affect professional athletes during their recovery?
Predict - 5
If you were a general manager, how would you handle a player who confronts the head coach?
Personal - 6
In what ways do professional sports contracts change the pressure on young athletes?
Evaluate - 7
How does the culture of a sports franchise compare to the culture of a business organization?
Compare - 8
Why do you think basketball has become such a global sport in recent decades?
Opinion
Adapted from ESPN · Read the original. LectoPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.
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