Ja Morant believes leaving Memphis was necessary for the next stage of his career.
Speaking at Portland Trail Blazers media day, Morant reflected on why a fresh start mattered after seven seasons with the Grizzlies, saying the controversies and criticism attached to his time in Memphis had become difficult to escape.
“Everything that happened over the years pretty much was just stuck with me; everyone just keeps bringing [those things] up,” Morant said. “As long as Memphis was across my chest it was still getting said.”
Ja on needing a fresh start:
“Everything that happened over the years pretty much was just stuck with me; everyone just keeps bringing [those things] up. As long as Memphis was across my chest it was still getting said.” pic.twitter.com/WLieIEyFBJ
— Blazers Lead (@BlazersLead) September 28, 2026
Morant’s tenure in Memphis produced both spectacular basketball and significant controversy. He became a two-time All-Star, won Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player honors, and emerged as the face of the franchise. But his time with the Grizzlies was also interrupted by two NBA suspensions in 2023 following separate social media videos in which he displayed a firearm.
Those incidents continued to shape the public conversation around him long after the suspensions ended.
Morant said that even as he tried to move forward, the same topics kept resurfacing. In his view, the Memphis jersey itself had become connected to everything that happened during those years.
However, Morant has continued to speak warmly about Memphis since the trade, calling the city and its fans “family” and saying he remains grateful for his time there. He also celebrated Memphis’ “901 Day” earlier this month, another sign that the relationship remains personal even after his departure.
What he wants now is separation between the past and what comes next. The Grizzlies traded Morant to Portland in June, ending a seven-year partnership that began when Memphis selected him second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. Morant has described the move as a chance to show fans “a different Ja” and reset the narrative around his career.
