The Portland Trail Blazers just dropped a bomb on the Western Conference, trading Jerami Grant, Kris Murray, and some cash to Memphis for former All-Star Ja Morant, and if you’re a fan of any team in the West, you better be paying attention. This isn’t the same Blazers squad that spent last season trying to figure itself out while still somehow managing to smack around the Golden State Warriors. Remember how Portland put up 139 points on Golden State on opening week? Or how they beat the Dubs two more times before Golden State finally got one back in January? That Blazers team, which finished by clawing into the No. 7 seed after beating the Suns in the play-in for their first playoff appearance since 2022, just made the biggest move in the Northwest Division.
The Backcourt Is Absolutely Stacked, But What’s The Catch?
Morant still has two years left on his deal, and even though his trade value took some hits from injuries over the last couple of years, this is a legit former All-Star walking into a backcourt that already had a healing Damian Lillard back in the mix. Add in the rising Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday’s tenacious leadership, and suddenly Portland has a guard rotation that’s absolutely wild on paper. ESPN actually applauds the raw talent, saying Portland has seven players who project to be at least slightly positive, which is the fourth most in the league. But here’s the kicker: none of those guys project to be *significantly* positive, and the top two are Lillard and Morant, both of whom have missed a ton of time recently. The Blazers look built to handle some injuries and be a solid to good team, but a deep playoff run? That’s probably not happening without some serious luck getting Lillard and Morant back to their formidable past heights.
A Gut Punch And Some Serious Insurance
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Portland this offseason. While they were busy making big moves, they did manage to re-sign Robert Williams III to a three-year, $44 million deal, giving them some real insurance behind Donovan Clingan. That’s a smart play. But then came the gut punch: Shaedon Sharpe tore his meniscus and is expected to be out until March at the earliest. We’re talking about losing a 20-plus-point scorer for basically half the season. Think about it: not many players who averaged over 20 points per game last season are coming off the bench in 2026-27, but Sharpe was set to be that guy. Now, with Lillard integrating back after recovering from his torn Achilles and Morant being the new centerpiece, losing that kind of firepower from the bench rotation is no joke.
This Blazers squad is a true wild card for the Western Conference. They’ve got the talent, the swagger, and they clearly aren’t afraid to make big moves. But can they stay healthy? That’s the million-dollar question for a team that’s now absolutely loaded with potential, but also carrying some major injury question marks into the season. It’s going to be a fascinating watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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