The Portland Trail Blazers are riding a three-game winning streak, most recently beating the New Orleans Pelicans 118-106 on April 3, 2026. This positive run comes as a harsh assessment of star guard Ja Morant from an anonymous NBA scout circulates, labeling him a small, "physically unfit" guard who cannot shoot.
An anonymous scout told a reporter that Morant has a "bad knee" and questioned his commitment to physical fitness. The evaluation described him as a small guard who cannot shoot and struggles on defense. "He's got a bad knee, doesn't really work on his physical fitness, I doubt that he's all of a sudden become an elite-level shooter, and he's small," the scout said. This creates a tough fit next to Damian Lillard, another small guard who is a strong shooter but also a defensive liability. Some of the statistical criticism is hard to dispute. Morant shot just 23.5 percent from three last season and has a 31.1 percent career mark from deep. He played only 20 games last year, part of a three-year stretch limited to 79 total appearances due to injuries and a suspension.
The broader fit questions were obvious when Portland acquired Morant, a ball-dominant creator for a roster already needing more shooting. Yet, calling him "physically unfit" feels reductive given his recent production. Even in a down year, Morant averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists in just 28.5 minutes per game. His playmaking never left. More recently, in the 2024-25 season, he put up 23.2 points and 7.3 assists while shooting 45.4 percent from the field across 50 games. His ceiling is impossible to ignore. He earned Second Team All-NBA honors in 2021-22 with 27.4 points per game and followed it with another All-Star season averaging 26.2 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds.
The Blazers' recent form provides a strong counter-narrative. Their last five games show a 4-1 record (WWWLW), including that 118-106 win over New Orleans and a dominant 130-99 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 26. This winning run suggests the team is finding ways to succeed despite external noise. The medical outlook for Morant also offers some clarity. A Memphis update in March stated he would miss the remainder of last season rehabbing a left elbow UCL sprain but was expected to make a full recovery for 2026-27. Declaring the All-NBA version of Morant gone before he plays a game for Portland seems premature. The team's current success, built on wins like the 127-119 victory in Indiana on March 18, shows they are more than any single critique. They have shown resilience after a narrow 101-103 loss to Charlotte on March 11, bouncing back immediately. The Blazers' offense has been potent, scoring 131 points against Indiana on March 9. While a 106-99 loss to Houston on March 7 happened, the team's response has been emphatic. The scout's blunt assessment turns heads, but the Blazers' recent results on the court are doing the real talking.
