Ja Morant is headed to Portland, after the Trail Blazers and Memphis agreed on a trade Monday that sees the Grizzlies starting anew and gives the two-time All-Star a chance to revive his career, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press.
Portland is sending forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to the Grizzlies as part of the deal, said the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade has not gotten the required league approvals.
ESPN first reported the agreement.
It’s a big swing by the Trail Blazers and could suggest Portland — with new owner Tom Dundon, whose Carolina Hurricanes just won the Stanley Cup — might not be done making moves. Morant adds to a logjam at point guard right now for Portland, with Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson also on the current roster.
Morant has averaged 22.4 points for his career but has played only 79 games over the last three seasons because of injuries and suspensions — including a 25-game banishment after he was seen on a livestream holding a gun while he was in the passenger seat of a vehicle. That came not long after an eight-game suspension for flashing a gun in a Denver-area nightclub, also captured on social media.
The suspensions, combined, cost Morant — who was Rookie of the Year after being the No. 2 selection in the 2019 draft, as well as the league's Most Improved Player in 2021-22 when he appeared to be on a path toward superstardom — about $9 million in lost salary. He said in April 2025 that he's made his peace with being a lightning rod for constant criticism.
“I’m kind of used to it,” Morant said at that time. “I was pretty much a villain for two years now. Every little thing, if somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there. So, yeah. I don’t care no more.”
Grant averaged 18.6 points last season for Portland and will be joining his sixth team by going to Memphis. Murray averaged 5.8 points per game this past season for the Trail Blazers.
Morant's MIP-award year in 2021-22 saw Memphis win 56 games, tying a franchise record. That team was built around a young core four — Morant, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane.
And now, they're all gone. Brooks played only one more season with the Grizzlies after that and has changed teams twice since, Bane went to Orlando last summer and Jackson was traded to Utah in February.
AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
FILE - Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray (24) dribbles down the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, April 2, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
FILE - Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) drives against San Antonio Spurs guard De'aaron Fox (4) during the second half in Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in Portland, Ore, April 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
FILE - Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) plays in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks Jan. 21, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill, File)
Chris Johnson, one of nine players in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season who made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three years with the Tennessee Titans, revealed in a television interview aired Monday that he has ALS.
Johnson, 40, spent 10 seasons in the league and last played in 2017 for the Arizona Cardinals. He said on ABC's “ Good Morning America ” that he was diagnosed with the fatal nervous system disease last year.
“Honestly, I don’t know if you really fully process it,” he said, using his eyes to communicate through a computerized speech-generating device during the interview with Michael Strahan. “At first you’re in shock. Then you realize you have two choices: You can give up or you can fight. I chose to fight.”
Johnson, a first-round draft pick out of East Carolina in 2008, rushed for 7,965 yards over six seasons with the Titans. The native of Orlando, Florida, had 2,006 yards in 2009 to earn the nickname “CJ2K” and ingratiate himself with the Tennessee fan base.
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk, in a statement released Monday, said the organization is holding Johnson, his wife and four children close.
“Some people leave a mark on an organization that you just can’t put into words. Chris Johnson is one of those people for us. His leadership on the field, in addition to his impact in the locker room and Nashville community have written him permanently into the story of this franchise," Adams Strunk said. “Learning this news is extremely difficult, and we will support Chris every step of the way throughout his journey."
ALS, which is an acronym for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative condition that affects nerve cell communication with muscles throughout the body. The disease leads to muscle weakness and can cause deterioration of the ability to move, speak and breathe.
Tim Shaw, who had a six-year career as a linebacker in the NFL and was a teammate of Johnson's with the Titans from 2010-12, was diagnosed in 2014 at age 30 with ALS and is still alive.
Johnson, who also played one season for the New York Jets, first noticed weakness in his right hand and trouble with his grip. He was still working out daily a year ago. Now he can't hold a cup or speak on his own.
“Your mind stays sharp. People sometimes look at a person with a physical disability and assume you’re not still the same person inside,” Johnson said. “I still think the same. I still dream. I still love my family. My body just doesn’t cooperate.”
Johnson was joined for the interview by his wife, Brittany, who has become his primary caregiver.
“She hasn’t left my side through any of this. My kids are also a huge part of why I keep going,” Johnson said. “Every day I wake up wanting more time with them to make more memories and just be their dad. They give me a reason to keep fighting.”
Johnson has been participating in experimental treatments with the goal of extending his life and helping the medical field move closer to a cure for the disease.
“If it helps even one person get diagnosed sooner, inspires more research or gives another family hope,” he said, “then it's worth it.”
Johnson didn’t discuss his playing career in the interview. In a later post on his Instagram account he acknowledged the unknown about how he developed the disease but referenced research that has linked repetitive head trauma to ALS. That includes a 2021 study that found NFL players were nearly four times more likely to develop the disease than the general male population.
“I hope the NFL steps up, invests in research, and continues working to protect players — both now and for generations to come,” Johnson said. “Together, we can push toward better treatments and, one day, a cure.”
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FILE - Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson visits the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sept. 15, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, file)
