The Portland Trail Blazers made the decision to trade for Ja Morant this offseason. Morant has been very troubled in the last three seasons. In fact, Morant has played just 79 games in the last three years due to multiple factors.
Morant has had well-documented off-the-court issues. In addition to that, Morant has also been injured quite a bit. Those issues were why it took so long for Morant to be traded. Now, the Blazers have decided to bring him in, despite already having a glut of guards.
New Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori was asked whether or not Morant will come off the bench recently. It seems like that’s the direction it’s headed.
GettyMemphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant reacts during a game. (Photo by Wes Hale/Getty Images)
Micah Nori Insinuates Ja Morant will Come off the Bench for the Trail Blazers
While being interviewed by SiriusXM Radio, Nori seemed to imply that Morant will come off the bench because of his openness to doing so once he was traded.
“Well, I don’t know. I take people at their word, so my thing is that if it has to come to that, well, hey, you said you didn’t care, number one. The second thing is I really believe is that guys like Ja, guys like Dame (Lillard), guys like Jrue (Holiday) who have been around, they want to win. And winning is the most important thing.”
It seems that the Trail Blazers are planning on having Morant come off the bench as of right now, but they will figure that out when training camp rolls around. Nori did mention that the players only care about getting their minutes instead of starting or coming off the bench.
Nori seems to think that as long as the four guards they have will get enough minutes, that’s all that matters. Morant is the second-least accomplished guard in the conversation for getting minutes. It would make sense for him to come off the bench.
GettyPortland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard shoots the ball during the 3-point Contest. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Blazers have Many Questions to Answer in the Offseason
Heading into next season, Portland has a lot of questions to answer. This offseason, a lot of conversation has centered around new owner Tom Dundon and his perceived cheapness. In fact, Nori signed just a one-year deal to become the new head coach.
How Nori handles this situation could determine if Dundon’s approach to owning an NBA team is going to be a new way to approach this situation. He has a lot of talent on the roster, as Deni Avdija was a first-time All-Star last season. He will still be the focal point of the offense.
Portland has a lot of young talent, but now they will have Damian Lillard back in the lineup. He is the best player in franchise history, and he can still shoot. Keeping pace in a more talented Western Conference will not be easy for them.
New Trail Blazers Head Coach Addresses if Ja Morant will Come off the Bench