All Ja Morant Needs is New Scenery

The Portland Trail Blazers open their regular season this Wednesday when they travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns. Their X-factor heading into the 2026-27 season: Ja Morant.

After a fallout with the Memphis Grizzlies, all the two-time All-Star needs is a change of scenery, and he'll have plenty of games in Portland to prove that.

Morant spent the summer saying Portland is a clean slate. Portland acquired the 27-year-old guard in June, sending Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis. He is now the highest-paid player on the roster, with two years left on his deal.

Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday offer a low-pressure setting. They are both accomplished veterans who share the ball-handling load, which means that Morant doesn't have to be "the guy" like he was with the Grizzlies.

Morant is now in the mix in a loaded backcourt with Lillard, Holiday and Scoot Henderson. All four are candidates to start. Nori has said that starting Morant and Lillard may not make sense.

Both Morant and Lillard are undersized, and neither is known for their defensive prowess. Lillard said during camp that he expects to start alongside Morant and Deni Avdija, but Nori said he doesn't know who will start.

That didn't stop Nori from starting the pair in the backcourt together in the preseason opener. Early reviews of Morant's play were mixed. On social media, fans and "gurus" pointed out that he lost his motor and looked more than rusty.

That narrative shifted a bit when Morant scored 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting in the preseason finale against Golden State.

Every decision Nori makes carries weight. He is on a one-year contract, so benching Morant for Holiday or Henderson and asking Morant to have a reduced role may come with turmoil. Morant has been known to clash with coaches in the past.

On the contrary, if they find a groove with a mixed rotation, it could benefit the team.

Neither Nori nor Morant has to make any big decisions by Wednesday. Portland is coming off a 42-40 season and a first-round exit against San Antonio, and the expectations have increased.

Morant said he wanted a fresh start. He is very capable of becoming a cornerstone piece for this franchise, with help from Holiday, an NBA champion, and Lillard, the all-time leading scorer in Portland history. Fans should go into the season with a glass-half-full mentality. 

Over the next few weeks, Portland will show how much patience they have with Morant. The first few games of the season are huge for him.