The word out of Portland about Ja Morant is seriously good, and it’s coming straight from the guy who knows the pulse of that team best, Damian Lillard. Lillard told The Athletic’s Jason Quick he’s seeing “a lot of joy” in Morant since the former Grizzly landed in town via offseason trade.
The Real Deal on Morant’s Comeback
It’s not just some PR fluff, either. Lillard is saying Morant isn’t “pretending to be happy.” He’s walking around with a smile, he’s engaged in practice, and he’s invested. That kind of real happiness is huge, especially when you look at what Morant’s been through. He barely saw the court for Memphis his last three seasons, playing just 79 games total. That lack of availability absolutely tanked his trade value, letting Portland snag him in what was basically a contract swap for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. People were wondering if the explosiveness, that ability to attack the basket, was gone. But at the Blazers’ fan fest on Sunday, he looked sharp, even winning MVP of the Black-Grey game. This dude needed a fresh start, and it sounds like he got one.
Lillard’s Return and Early Game Action
Then there’s the other big piece of this puzzle: Damian Lillard himself is back on the court, shaking off the rust after tearing his Achilles way back on April 27, 2025. Wednesday marked the first time we saw Morant and Lillard actually play together in an official game. They kicked off their preseason against the Golden State Warriors, and while it’s just preseason, it was a glimpse. Morant dropped 8 points, dished out 5 assists, and nabbed 2 steals in 19 minutes. Lillard, also in 19 minutes, put up 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Blazers head coach Micah Nori threw both of them into the starting lineup right away, which is a statement. He says he’ll “tinker with the opening five” during preseason, but putting them out there together from jump speaks volumes.
What does all this mean? The Blazers are betting big that Morant’s fresh start and Lillard’s return to health are gonna be the one-two punch they need to step up in the Western Conference. They finished 42-40 last season, making the playoffs as the No. 7 seed before getting bounced in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs, largely thanks to Deni Avdija’s breakout. With Morant apparently finding his joy again, and Lillard back in action, you gotta wonder what kind of noise this squad is gonna make when the real games tip off. Keep your eyes peeled as Nori sorts out that starting lineup through the rest of the preseason.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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