A lowly preseason ranking fuels Ja Morant’s arrival in Portland, providing the high-flying guard with the ultimate motivation to reclaim his status as an elite NBA superstar.
Ja Morant will enter his first season with the Portland Trail Blazers carrying another reason to remind the NBA exactly who he is.
HoopsHype ranked Morant as the league’s No. 20 point guard entering the 2026-27 season. Even more surprisingly, the outlet placed his new teammate Damian Lillard three spots ahead of him at No. 17.
Lillard deserves respect for everything he has accomplished. However, ranking Morant that low is disrespectful to the level of talent Portland just acquired.
The concerns behind the ranking are understandable. Morant appeared in only 20 games last season, while injuries and a previous suspension have prevented him from consistently controlling his NBA story.
Availability matters when ranking players. Still, there is an important difference between questioning whether Morant will remain healthy and forgetting how dangerous he can become when everything is working.
This is an MVP-caliber type of talent when focused and operating at full strength. Morant possesses the athleticism, creativity and passing ability to completely change the direction of a franchise.
Now, he gets an opportunity to prove it in Portland.
Morant should not complain publicly about where HoopsHype placed him. He should print the ranking, remember every guard placed ahead of him and use it as fuel throughout the season.
That is what makes this apparent insult potentially valuable for the Trail Blazers. Portland does not need a comfortable Morant who believes his reputation guarantees him a place among the league’s best guards.
The Blazers need a motivated Morant who understands he must earn that recognition again.
Portland also gives him the supporting talent needed to make his response meaningful. Shaedon Sharpe can attack alongside him, Deni Avdija can help create offense and Lillard can provide leadership without needing to carry the entire operation.
That combination should allow Morant to concentrate on winning basketball. He can attack the lane, create opportunities for teammates and let his play provide every response required.
Of course, one ranking will not determine whether this move succeeds. Morant must remain healthy, control his emotions and consistently make decisions that benefit the team.
However, anyone treating him like the NBA’s 20th-best point guard may be forgetting how quickly he can take over a game. Portland acquired a player with something to prove, and that could make him considerably more dangerous.
Morant has spent enough time being discussed for reasons outside basketball. This season is his opportunity to change the conversation.
If he stays focused and healthy, No. 20 will not age like a reasonable ranking. It will look like the exact disrespect Morant needed to remind the entire league who he can be.
