Ja Morant’s first preseason night with the Trail Blazers came with the usual mix of flashes and messes, but the biggest takeaway in Portland wasn’t the stat line. It was the way he’s carried himself since arriving.
Jason Quick of The Athletic reports that Morant has made a sharp shift from last year’s tension in Memphis, where he feuded with the coaching staff and front office. Around the Blazers, he’s been upbeat, smiling often and laughing with teammates.
He looks settled. He looks glad to be there.
On the floor Wednesday, Morant started in the backcourt next to Damian Lillard and finished with eight points, five assists and four turnovers in 19 minutes. He played fast, kept the pressure on, and opened up chances with his speed, but that same pace also led to a few shaky decisions and giveaways.
Lillard sees something real in the new setup.
“I feel like he has a lot of joy right now,’’ Lillard said. “I read people well, you know?
And I can tell he is not pretending to be happy, you know? He walks around with a smile.
And when we practice, and he’s talking, he’s engaged, he’s invested, and you are able to see that he’s happy with his situation.’’
Coach Micah Nori plans to open the season with Morant and Lillard as his starters, even though the fit invites obvious questions. Both guards need the ball, and neither is known for defense. Still, the Blazers sound convinced after watching Morant in practice that he can climb back to an All-Star level, and they believe the two can make it work.
Lillard isn’t ducking the skepticism.
“I think our potential is great,” Lillard said. “Obviously I see what people say, but most of them haven’t had to jump out there and do it.
I played for eight years with another undersized backcourt mate (CJ McCollum), and we were able to get a lot done. And people had similar things to say, but the bottom line is we never lost.
We never had a losing team. We won and gave people some problems.
And I think we have a similar situation with Ja.’’
Elsewhere in the Northwest Division, Lillard said in an NBA TV interview that his recovery from the ruptured Achilles that wiped out last season is going well. He said he feels “great” after attacking rehab from the beginning, and added, “I feel like I’ve gotten back to everything I had before,” Lillard also said, “I feel explosive going both directions.
I feel like I can get any shot off from any range.” He also confirmed he intends to enter the Three-Point Shootout at All-Star Weekend, where he would be going for a record fourth win.
Jazz center Jaxson Hayes is also stepping into a bigger role after Jusuf Nurkic’s injury. Hayes moved into the starting lineup Tuesday and is expected to hold that spot when the season starts. He called it a straightforward matter of being ready for the moment.
“It’s just a next-man-up mentality,” he said. “I’ve dealt with so many situations in L.A.
So just staying prepared and being a professional. Everyone’s got to be ready.”
And in Oklahoma City, Thunder guard Jalen Williams looked fully back in rhythm after dealing with health issues in the playoffs. In his preseason debut Wednesday, he put up 16 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals in 18 minutes, hitting 8 of 11 shots. Mark Daigneault loved what he saw.
“He was awesome,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “It’s just great to see him out there playing with the confidence and aggression that he did on both ends of the floor. He’s got an electric motor that really is contagious inside the team, and you really feel it when he’s on the court on both ends.”
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Yang Hansen Still Has One Big Hurdle In Portlands Rotation
Yang Hansens first year with the Trail Blazers left him still searching for a foothold in the rotation, a familiar place for a young big man trying to earn trust in the frontcourt. The 16th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft flashed enough promise to stay on the radar, but his role heading into the 2026-27 season is still very much unsettled as Portland sorts through its depth inside.
A recent preseason outing offered another small step without changing the larger picture, and that is where the intrigue sits for the Blazers. Hansens development will matter, but so will the competition for minutes around him, and Portlands willingness to carve out a real role for him may depend on how quickly he can separate himself in a crowded front line. [Read more 🡒]