Ja Morant Officially Done For The Season

Fans would be forgiven for forgetting the last time that Ja Morant actually suited up for the Memphis Grizzlies this season. However, the team felt it necessary to make an official announcement on Wednesday that they have shut their point guard down for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, as the two-time All-Star will need a platelet-rich plasma injection to promote ligament healing to assist a UCL sprain in his left elbow. 

The last time the Grizzlies and Morant fans saw the explosive point guard on the court was January 21 in a 124-122 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, a game in which he scored 23 points and handed out a dozen assists. 

While the team is hoping that the procedure will have Morant ready for the start of next season, the big question is, will he still be with the team at that point? 

Over the past three years, Morant and the Grizzlies have been intertwined in several on and off-court situations that have seen the explosive point guard appear in just 79 games. This season, Morant has appeared in just 20 games as calf and elbow issues have seen him on the sidelines more than in the lineup. In 2024-25, Morant played 50 games, and the year before suited up for just 9 games. Despite his limited availability, the Grizzlies provided Morant with a contract extension in 2022 for $197.2 million. Considering he is being paid like a superstar, it is no wonder that the Grizzlies front office has decided to move in a different direction. 

After trading Desmond Bane to Orlando in the offseason and Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah at the trade deadline, it is clear that Memphis is headed to a rebuilding process. The Grizzlies openly explored deals for Morant before the deadline, but found little interest from takers, defining how other teams view Morant. As his contract runs through 2027-28, his salary doesn’t exactly reflect the return that a team would receive on the court based on his recent past. At just 26 years old, with career averages of 22 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds, Morant can put up elite numbers and still has plenty of time to change the narrative of how the league views him. 

As the Grizzlies are expected to secure a top-eight pick in the 2026 draft and are looking to build around Cedric Coward and Zach Edey, a change of address is all but a given for Morant, which could be the best situation for all parties.