Former Grizzlies star Ja Morant is starting a new chapter after his trade to the Portland Trail Blazers this summer. Morant, 26, had spent the past seven years in Memphis, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to varying degrees of success. But after things turned ugly for the franchise (in the face of several major scandals), Morant’s exit became all but inevitable.
As a member of the Trail Blazers, Morant is operating with a clean slate, so many fans didn’t think twice about his jersey number change from 12 to 1. In reality, Ja would have preferred to keep his signature “12,” but it was the Blazers that denied him. The reasoning no doubt has to do with another former Blazer who wore the same number: LaMarcus Aldridge.
“Ja Morant says he initially wanted to continue wearing No. 12 with the Trail Blazers, but after talking to the organization, he decided to shift to No. ,” wrote league insider Jason Quick. “‘The organization has other plans for it,’ Morant said, alluding to LaMarcus Aldridge, who wore 12.”
Aldridge’s career has mostly faded into obscurity, but he was once a centerpiece of the Blazers organization. Over nine years in Portland, he was a consistent star-level performer, averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game on 48.5% shooting and 27.6% shooting from three. While he never won a title with the Trail Blazers, Aldridge consistently led them to the playoffs and was a central figure in their culture for years.
If you stop there, few would argue that Aldridge shouldn’t have his number retired in Portland. Where the fans take issue is the way he left the team behind. In 2015, at the height of his career, Aldridge walked away from the Blazers, parting ways with Damian Lillard to pursue a fresh start with the Spurs. Predictably, his career was never the same again, and he was never able to replicate the limited success he had in Portland. He officially retired in 2023, after 16 years in the NBA. He never once returned to Portland, leaving his former teammates forever wondering what could have been.
So for the franchise to give him the ultimate honor is something that does not sit well with many Blazers fans. Instead of hanging on to the past and honoring a player who turned his back on the franchise, some would rather the number be passed to Ja as a gesture of good faith. After all, if Morant can rediscover his All-Star form, he has the potential to exceed even Aldridge’s legacy in Portland.
Nevertheless, the Trail Blazers have seemingly made up their mind, and it’s a commendable gesture. Despite LaMarcus’s limited history of success, they are determined to immortalize his legacy by never allowing another player to wear No. 12. For Ja, the goal is to one day have his No. 1 jersey get the same treatment, but it’ll be easier said than done. With so much baggage from his past, Morant still has a long way to go to smooth things over, but he’s ready to make amends and is already fully embracing this new opportunity.
