There’s an old saying that people of previous generations use to describe something or someone that, despite new circumstances, simply refuses to change: “You can take the man out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the man.”After acquiring Ja Morant in a stunning buy-low move, the Portland Trail Blazers, perhaps, turned the phrase into their own.“You can take ‘Trader Bob’ and Neil Olshey away from Portland … but you can’t take Portland away from ‘Trader Bob’ and Neil Olshey-type moves.”This isn’t to say that the Blazers’ decision to acquire Morant was necessarily a bad move — far from it; when the opportunity to acquire a former All-NBA borderline-superstar at age 26 arises, and the price isn’t hefty, it’s worth looking into. But, the move does feel reminiscent of former Blazers general managers. If you were 6-4-and-under during the early-2020s, you had already checked off prerequisite No. 1 for joining Olshey’s Blazers. And terms such as “chemistry" and “high-character” were merely suggestions for Bob Whitsitt, who constructed teams that settled among the elites in wins, lawyers needed, and highlights at once. In a close-to-perfect world, maybe this current iteration of the Blazers’ front office feels as if its found its “1996”-type moment, akin to when they took a flyer on a talented-yet-troubled Rasheed Wallace, and reaped rewards through Conference Finals appearances and championship aspirations alike. Which prompts an initial thought:Why the New Backcourt Will Be Awesome With MorantIf one were given only a single minute to answer this question, it probably wouldn’t even be worth using actual words and sentences. Why would it, when a one-of-a-kind, one-minute highlight reel of Morant’s greatest hits already exists?Recurring injuries and mental lapses, both on-court and off, have forced many of these highlights to become “remember when”-type moments already, but even in glimpses throughout 2025-26’s down year, Morant’s raw talent kept his status as a nightly 30-point scoring threat perfectly intact.Motivated or not, he remained one of maybe 10 players across the NBA that were capable of consistently hitting shots of this caliber. And even during an across-the-board down season, Morant remained top-notch at numerous aspects. To name a few:98th percentile in on-court creation, with the fourth-most potential assists (15.0) and the fifth-most points created off assists (20.7) across the NBA.Morant’s drives still generated points on 61.8 percent of possessions, per NBA.com, a number that puts him squarely on par with the likes of Cade Cunningham (61.9) and Devin Booker (62.2).The clutch gene hasn’t gone anywhere; Morant was 11-of-25 (44.0 percent) in “clutch situations,” with near-identical percentages (44.9) in final-minute, one-score games.Some of the fit is redundant. It offers Portland yet another clutch, foul drawing-machine who isn’t necessarily adept at spacing the floor. But, if Portland can find ways to put the ideal shooters around him — likely by using Lillard’s catch-and-shoot abilities in complement — it wouldn’t be a surprise if by next February, fans are wondering why that was all Portland had to give up to acquire a game-changing talent.Why the New Backcourt Will Be Awkward With MorantMemphis Grizzlies guards Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ja Morant watch from the bench during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images | Soobum Im-Imagn ImagesIf one were given only a minute to answer this question, it probably wouldn’t be worth using actual words and sentences. Why would it, when the decline of Morant’s year-to-year shooting numbers are right in front of us?I settle on the optimistic side, thinking that Morant will inevitably bounce back under a change of scenery. But, given how difficult it would be to not improve after shooting a career-low 23.5 percent from 3-point range (and just 29.2 percent from 16-feet and out), could we even call that a “prediction?”And then, there’s the matter of the Blazers front office introducing observers to a movie in which we already know the ending. Reports have confirmed that the Blazers fully intend on running a Lillard-Morant starting backcourt.If pairing Lillard alongside another undersized, offensively-focused backcourt mate didn’t work in 2020 when he was 29, would one be wrong in assuming the worst for it in 2026, with Player A fresh off an Achilles rupture at age 36, and Player B having been limited to just 79 games over his last three seasons? With neither of them ever truly being known for their defensive chops?Here’s to hoping that Donovan Clingan has been training with Ben Wallace, because that’s the type of rim protection that will be required in 2026.And, although it could be the precursor of bigger moves to come, it does little to answer that daunting 3-point question that the Blazers can’t merely avoid after hitting on just 34.3 percent of their attempts in 2025-26 (which ranked 28th out of 30 teams). In essence, they’ve done their best Washington Mystics impression; all the offseason talk was centered around getting more shooting, and thus far, all they’ve done is add a brilliant inside-the-arc scorer who has never shot above league average.This goes without mentioning any of the off-court drama surrounding Morant. As previously noted, if one could bet on it, Morant ends up staying free of trouble in Portland, but until it actually happens, it’s mere speculation.Predicting Morant's First Season in PortlandMemphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant celebrates after making a hard lay up in the 4th quarter of the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Smith-Imagn Images | Matthew Smith-Imagn ImagesNBA history is littered with examples of “reclamation projects,” and players who benefitted from new environments, and Portland has had their fair share of success stories under that realm. The prediction here is that Morant — likely aware of the “thin ice” he’s gliding on — adds to that in 2026-27 and beyond.The beautiful part of what the Blazers have as currently constructed is that there wouldn’t be an immediate need for Morant to evolve back into that 2021-22 form of old. Without knowing how they plan to approach the situation, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the training staff put together a “plan” to ensure Morant’s freshness, similar to how they did with Robert Williams III.Perhaps it means minutes restrictions on the second-halves of back-to-backs? Morant’s numbers last season do tell the story of a player who performed noticeably better after multiple days rest, in comparison to back-to-backs. Or, perhaps it means allowing Micah Nori to demonstrate his coaching genius, in which the Lillard-Morant trio starts with Deni Avdija, but quick substitutions encourage optimal patterns.In any case, even if it takes some time, it feels like the type of move that could offer some sort of spark to a franchise that, historically, hasn’t had much luck in “big swing” trades. It isn’t necessarily great that Portland withdrew itself from the Jaylen Brown chase after this move, but it does nothing to hurt the Blazers’ aspirations of back-to-back postseason appearances.If one had to make, say, three predictions, and range them from least bold to scorching-hot, here’s what one would say:Morant will hover around the 18-to-20-point scoring range, complementing Avdija and Lillard as a trustworthy No. 3.The pressure to perform motivates Morant to get his 3-point percentage back into the 30s, and his midrange numbers towards career-bests.Other could-be moves make it a risky play, but the acquisition of Morant helps push the Blazers to a West Semifinals appearance. The Spurs-Thunder tandem rule out West, but outside of that, it feels as if every other Western Conference team has question marks of their own.It’s the ultimate high-floor, high-ceiling move for the Blazers. And, biology suggests that animals who fly, fly higher in certain environments. Here’s to hoping that Portland’s scenery prompts a highflyer like Morant to vault higher than he ever has throughout his tumultuous seven-year NBA career.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow