Morant taunts former teammate in first game against Memphis

Ja Morant faced the Memphis Grizzlies for the first time since joining the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, and a television broadcast showed him taunting a former teammate during the game after he had said he held no hard feelings toward the team. The moment came in the second quarter at Portland’s Moda Center. After Morant made a floater around Grizzlies guard Cedric Coward, the broadcast showed him pointing at Coward and using a profane taunt as the teams headed to a timeout. The account of the gesture and words comes from the broadcast footage described in coverage of the game. Before the matchup, Morant had described the game as another contest on the schedule and said he was on good terms with people in Memphis, adding that he would have no hard feelings unless they felt otherwise. He also said he did not want to leave the Grizzlies, but that he felt good in Portland and was happy with his new situation. The game marked Morant’s first against Memphis since the team traded him to Portland on June 29. The deal sent forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis. Morant had spent seven seasons with the Grizzlies, who drafted him No. 2 overall in 2019. He won NBA Rookie...