​Damian Lillard entered the NBA as a seasoned presence, ready to lead and share his knowledge the moment he arrived in Portland. He has always trusted his own abilities, and that confidence has helped him uplift those around him. “I’m not surprised by it,” Lillard said at the Rookie of the Year press conference. “That’s not meant to be a cocky statement. But I’m not surprised at all because I put in the work to put myself in this position.” Now, thirteen years into his career, he has only sharpened his leadership. Those leadership qualities will be crucial soon, as the Blazers swung a high-stakes deal, trading for Ja Morant, a talented but inexperienced 26-year-old two-time All-Star and Second-Team All-NBA player, giving Lillard his tallest challenge yet.
The Blazers acquired Morant at what some might call a bargain price, sending Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in the mix. The reasons for the deal’s low price are twofold: on-court fit and off-court concerns. Morant’s on-court challenges—injuries, playing style, and fit with the team—pose puzzles for coach Micah Nori, Morant, and Portland’s training staff to solve. But those basketball issues may be eclipsed by the off-court baggage that must be addressed for Morant’s path to be viable.
From 2022-2023 onward, Morant’s off-court actions drew attention: he threatened a security head at a Memphis mall, punched a 17-year-old and flashed a gun at him, was seen riding in an SUV with a laser aimed at the Pacers’ team bus, and flashed a gun on Instagram Live, the second incident resulting in a 25-game suspension. Morant’s high-flying 2023-24 season helped Memphis, but the 2024-25 season ended with the Thunder sweeping the No. 8-seeded Grizzlies in the NBA Finals. Toward the close of that year, tensions with head coach Taylor Jenkins over offensive schemes led to Jenkins’ dismissal with several games remaining in the regular season. Morant’s ongoing controversies continued, including a verbal clash in London with Vince Williams during a shootaround, where Williams attempted to move the dispute to the locker room, but Morant resisted.
Guns, threats, friction, and ego—these are the burdens Morant must face. He needs to prove he is willing to grow, is capable of learning, and can be a true team player. That is the baseline for improvement; if his basketball deficiencies and injuries can be forgiven, his character must improve first. But with a long road ahead to restore his standing in the NBA, the focus now is on whether Morant can mature and contribute as a teammate and leader.