Ja Morant: Trade, Salary, and His 44-Inch Vertical Leap

Few NBA players have packed as much drama into seven seasons as Ja Morant. The 26-year-old point guard has gone from Rookie of the Year to two-time All-Star, from a $197 million contract to multiple suspensions, and from Memphis to Portland — all before his prime.

Height: 6’2″ (1.88 m) ·
Weight: 174 lbs (79 kg) ·
Age: 26 (born Aug 10, 1999) ·
Team: Portland Trail Blazers ·
Position: Point Guard ·
Estimated Vertical Leap: 44 inches (112 cm)

The table below tracks six core biographical facts — from his full name to his draft position — that define Morant’s baseline profile.

What is going on with Ja Morant?

Why was Ja Morant suspended?

• Morant was suspended for eight games in March 2023 after a video surfaced of him brandishing a firearm inside a Denver-area nightclub, according to Heavy.
• He received a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 campaign after a second incident in which he was again seen displaying a gun in public, as reported by Yahoo Sports/AP.
• Heavy reported that the 25-game suspension cost Morant approximately $7.6 million in lost salary.

What injuries has Ja Morant dealt with?

• Morant missed most of the 2024-25 season due to a shoulder injury that required surgery, according to ESPN.
• The injury limited him to just nine games in the 2024-25 campaign, compounding the Grizzlies’ on-court challenges.

How have these issues affected his career?

• The combination of suspensions and injuries created friction between Morant and the Grizzlies’ front office, per The Athletic.
• The Athletic also reported that Morant had already faced a one-game suspension that season after a confrontation with head coach Tuomas Iisalo, signaling deeper organizational strain.
• Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman had previously called trade speculation involving Morant “nonsense” and “fantasy” (The Athletic) — a statement that later proved unsustainable.

The pattern: a player with generational talent who kept creating distractions that his organization could no longer manage. The trade was the logical endpoint.

Has Ja Morant been traded?

When was Ja Morant traded?

• Multiple major outlets reported on June 29, 2026, that the Memphis Grizzlies agreed to trade Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers, according to ESPN.
• Reuters confirmed the deal and noted that it was pending NBA approval and physicals.

Why did the Grizzlies trade Ja Morant?

• The Grizzlies decided to move on after repeated off-court issues and the escalating tension between Morant and the organization, per The Athletic.
• USA Today reported that the trade signaled a full rebuild for Memphis, which had been Morant’s team since he was drafted second overall in 2019.

What did the trade involve?

• The reported return for Memphis was Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, according to NBA.com.
• Reuters reported that the trade included draft considerations as well, though the exact pick details were not immediately disclosed.
• Morant was signed for two more seasons with salaries of $42.167 million in 2026-27 and $44.887 million in 2027-28 before free agency in 2028 (Reuters).

What this means: the Grizzlies chose organizational stability over superstar upside. For Portland, the gamble is obvious — if Morant stays healthy and focused, they landed a top-15 player. If not, they’re carrying a max contract through 2028.

How can Ja jump so high?

What is Ja Morant’s vertical leap?

• Morant has a reported 44-inch vertical leap, according to ESPN.
• For context, the NBA combine record is 45.5 inches (Kenny Gregory, 2001). Morant’s vertical ranks among the highest ever recorded in pre-draft or pro-day testing.

How does he train for jumping?

• Morant’s training regimen emphasizes plyometric exercises, trap-bar deadlifts, and single-leg box jumps to build explosive lower-body power, according to reports from his offseason training sessions.
• He has worked with performance coaches who focus on reactive strength — the ability to transfer force from the ground through the hips in under 200 milliseconds.

What makes his jumping style unique?

• Morant combines raw explosiveness with elite body control in the air, allowing him to adjust his shot mid-flight or finish with either hand, as noted by ESPN analysts.
• His 6’7″ wingspan — five inches longer than his height — gives him a massive effective reach advantage when jumping, making dunks and layups that look impossible for a 6’2″ guard appear routine.

The catch: that explosive style also increases injury risk. Morant’s shoulder injury and various lower-body nicks over the years raise the question of how long a 174-pound frame can sustain that kind of landing force.

What is Ja Morant’s salary?

How much does Ja Morant make per year?

• Morant signed a five-year, $197.2 million max extension in July 2022, according to USA Today.
• His 2024-25 salary was approximately $34.0 million, with the contract escalating each season. Reuters reported that Morant will earn $42.167 million in 2026-27 and $44.887 million in 2027-28.

What is the total value of his contract?

• Bleacher Report confirmed the five-year, $197.2 million extension, noting that Morant is under contract through the 2027-28 season.
• At the time of the trade, ESPN reported that Morant had two years and around $87 million left on that deal.

How does his salary compare to other NBA point guards?

• Morant’s $42.2 million 2026-27 salary places him among the top 10 highest-paid point guards in the league, alongside Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, and Luka Dončić, per Spotrac.
• His contract represents roughly 25% of the Trail Blazers’ projected 2026-27 salary cap, making him the team’s highest-paid player by a significant margin.

The implication: Portland is paying for the version of Morant who averaged 27.4 points and 8.2 assists in 2022, not the version who played nine games in 2024-25. The gap between those two realities is the risk baked into every dollar.

How tall was Ja at 15?

How tall is Ja Morant now?

• Morant is listed at 6’2″ (1.88 m) and 174 pounds, according to NBA.com.
• His height is considered average for an NBA point guard — the league average at the position is roughly 6’3″.

Did he have a late growth spurt?

• Morant was around 5’10” at age 15, according to biographical profiles from his high school years in Dalzell, South Carolina.
• He grew to 6’2″ by the time he entered Murray State, meaning he added four inches between his sophomore year of high school and his freshman year of college.

What is his wingspan?

• Morant’s wingspan is 6’7″, as measured at the 2019 NBA Draft Combine, according to NBA.com.
• That’s a +5-inch wingspan-to-height ratio, which is elite for a guard and helps explain how he finishes above the rim despite being undersized by NBA standards.

The pattern: Morant’s late growth spurt — from 5’10” to 6’2″ — is a classic late-bloomer trajectory. It also partly explains his relentless style: he spent his early teens playing as a smaller guard, developing guard skills, and then suddenly had NBA size and explosiveness on top of them.

For the Trail Blazers, the bet is simple: a 26-year-old two-time All-Star with a 44-inch vertical and something to prove. For Morant, the stakes are personal. He leaves Memphis as the franchise’s most talented player since Pau Gasol — and also as the one who tested the organization’s patience more than any other. The next chapter, in Portland, will determine whether his legacy is defined by the highlights or the headlines. Tyrese Haliburton injury recovery timeline offers a similar look at another young star’s path.

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