Why isn’t Ja Morant playing for the Grizzlies? Injury update for Memphis star
The Memphis Grizzlies will be without the two-time NBA All-Star for at least three weeks.
The Memphis Grizzlies will be without Ja Morant for Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets, the latest injury setback to hit the star point guard.
Morant has been ruled out for at least three weeks with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his left elbow. That will keep him sidelined beyond the league’s trade deadline on February 5, complicating the team’s efforts to move him on.
Breaking: Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will miss at least three weeks due to a UCL sprain in his left elbow, the team announced Saturday morning. pic.twitter.com/FQAJdL4E3m
— ESPN (@espn) January 24, 2026
The injury news was announced by the Grizzlies on Saturday morning but was sustained during Wednesday’s home defeat to the Atlanta Hawks. The 26-year-old finished with 23 points and 12 assists against the Hawks.
Ja Morant injury complicates trade talks
Morant has spent the entirety of his seven-year professional career with the Grizzlies, earning All-Star Game selections in 2022 and 2023.
The former NBA Rookie of the Year has been a dynamic offensive outlet throughout his time in Memphis but in recent seasons his injury record has limited his playing time. He made just nine regular season appearances in 2023/24 and has played in 20 of the team’s 43 games this season.
Those fitness issues reportedly persuaded the team to look for a trade this month but there has been little interest in Morant. He is currently in the third year of a five-year deal worth $197.2 million, limiting the number of teams who would be able to accommodate a midseason trade.
With well-known fitness issues and a hefty salary, Morant will not have many suitors at this point in the season. Unless the Grizzlies are willing to accept a low-ball offer, Morant looks set to remain in Memphis for at least a few more months.
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