Grizzlies’ Ja Morant sidelined beyond trade deadline due to elbow sprain

Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant will be out for a minimum of three weeks due to a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, as announced by the team on Saturday morning. This means he will be unavailable until after the trade deadline on February 5.

The Grizzlies have been considering trade proposals for Morant, as reported earlier this month by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

League sources indicate that interest in the two-time All-Star guard has been lukewarm, partly due to Morant’s challenges with availability. He has participated in only 79 games since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, affected by suspensions and various injuries.

This season, Morant has averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists, while posting career lows of 41.0% shooting from the field and 23.5% from beyond the arc in 20 games. He has two years and $87 million left on his contract after the Grizzlies opted not to pursue extension talks with Morant last offseason.

Morant incurred the injury while executing a remarkable chase-down block during Wednesday’s home defeat against the Atlanta Hawks. He completed the game with 23 points and 12 assists, but was noticeably favoring his left arm.

Morant had just returned from a six-game absence due to a calf contusion in the Grizzlies’ prior match, a victory over the Orlando Magic in London on Sunday. Following that game, Morant expressed a strong desire to stay in Memphis.

“I’ve got a logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be,” Morant stated after his performance of 24 points and 13 assists, referring to a tattoo of the Grizzlies logo on his back. “If anybody in here knows me, I’m a very loyal guy.”