Season stats: 2025-26. Updated 6 h ago.
Ja Morant Lands in Portland, Elbow Injury Delays Blazers Debut
newsroom · 1 h agoJa Morant is now a Trail Blazer after a trade from Memphis, set to run the backcourt alongside Damian Lillard once healthy. He is day-to-day with a left elbow injury and targeting an October 1, 2026 return. Last season with the Grizzlies he averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists in 20 games.
New Team, New Backcourt
Morant heads to Portland after a trade from Memphis and is set to share playmaking duties with Damian Lillard in the Trail Blazers' starting backcourt. He wears No. 12 and lines up at guard. Pairing two lead ball-handlers who can also score changes how Portland's offense will be built game to game, with Morant expected to push tempo and set up teammates alongside Lillard rather than defer to a single primary initiator. The exact rotation and minutes split will take shape once he is cleared to play, but the backcourt pairing is already the headline of his arrival in Portland.
Injury Update
Morant is listed day-to-day with a left elbow and arm injury, with an estimated return date of October 1, 2026. The injury report from September 6, 2026 lists the same day-to-day elbow designation, so there is no new setback beyond what has already been flagged. No other injury notes are on file. Until he is cleared, Portland's coaching staff will have to plan around his absence for the start of the new season, with his target return date lining up close to the opener.
Last Season By The Numbers
In his most recent action, with Memphis in 2025-26, Morant played 20 games and averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 0.3 blocks in 28.4 minutes per game. He shot 41.0 percent from the field, 23.5 percent from three and 89.7 percent from the free-throw line, for a true shooting mark of 52.1 percent. His usage rate sat at 30.5 percent, and his plus-minus was -2.5. Those are the numbers Portland is banking on as he transitions into a new backcourt role for 2026-27.
Career Snapshot
Morant is 27 years old and enters his seventh NBA season. He came out of Murray State and stands 6-foot-2, 174 pounds, listed as a guard. His move to Portland marks a new chapter after his time with Memphis, the team he is listed under for last season's statistics. The Trail Blazers now count him as part of their backcourt mix alongside Lillard heading into 2026-27, with his college and experience background giving Portland a seasoned lead guard once he is back on the floor.
What Comes Next
With no games logged yet for Portland and the season still ahead, the immediate story is the elbow injury and its October 1, 2026 target return. Once healthy, the focus shifts to how he and Lillard split ballhandling duties in the starting backcourt. There are no recent games or rumors on file beyond the trade and role details already known. Blazers fans are watching the injury report closely, since his return date lines up with the start of the new season and his debut in a Portland uniform.
Questions fans ask
Is Ja Morant injured right now?
Yes. As of September 6, 2026, he is day-to-day with a left elbow and arm injury, with an estimated return date of October 1, 2026.
What team is Ja Morant on for 2026-27?
The Portland Trail Blazers, after being traded from Memphis.
What number does Ja Morant wear for the Trail Blazers?
No. 12.
Who will Morant play alongside in Portland's backcourt?
He is set to share playmaking duties with Damian Lillard in the starting backcourt.
How did Ja Morant perform last season?
In 2025-26 with Memphis, he averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 0.3 blocks over 20 games, shooting 41.0 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from three.
When is Ja Morant expected back on the court?
His estimated return date is October 1, 2026.
Game log
last 0| Date | Opp | Result | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | FG | 3P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No games logged yet this season. | |||||||||