Ja Morant still has love for the city of Memphis even after being traded by the Grizzlies.
The Ja Morant era may be over for the Memphis Grizzlies, but his relationship with the city isn't.
Monday was media day for a majority of teams around the NBA, and the new Portland Trail Blazers guard was asked about his bond with the city of Memphis despite this summer's trade.
He left no doubt with his answer.
"That's my family," he said of the city of Memphis.
Morant is getting a fresh start with the Trail Blazers this coming season after spending the first seven years of his career with the Grizzlies. He has made it clear that he's excited about the new chapter.
While Morant's tenure with Memphis had bumps in the road and a disappointing ending, he brought a lot of excitement to the city when things were going well.
It started with him taking home Rookie of the Year honors in his debut season, and it peaked with him landing two All-Star nods, one All-NBA selection and MVP votes.
He also took home the Most Improved Player award in the 2021-22 season and helped the Grizzlies win their first playoff series in years.
Unfortunately, that was the only playoff series victory they enjoyed during his tenure. Every other season saw Memphis either miss the playoffs or lose in the first round. In recent years, some of those struggles came with Morant rarely on the floor. He appeared in just nine games in the 2023-24 season and 20 games in the 2025-26 season.
Meanwhile, when he was on the floor, his production wasn't the same over the last few years as it was when he was an All-Star. After averaging 26.8 points per game across his back-to-back All-Star seasons, he averaged 22.5 points per game over his final three years with the team.
The former No. 2 overall pick also ran into his fair share of off-the-court problems during his Grizzlies stint, which didn't help matters.
But there was a time when Morant appeared on his way to being a long-term franchise cornerstone in Memphis, and that's a memory that fans won't soon forget. Clearly, he holds the city close to his heart despite turning a new page now in Portland.
The 27-year-old will get a few chances to play his former team this coming season, including two games on the road in Memphis. Those reunion matchups will certainly be ones to watch for anyone who has followed his career to this point.
