Memphis' Nightmare Continues: Morant Out Until 2026
The news dropped like a brick through a window: Ja Morant, the electric guard who defines the Memphis Grizzlies, is done for the season. Not just this season, actually. The ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his left elbow means he’s sidelined until the start of the 2026-27 campaign. Two full seasons gone. It’s a gut punch for a franchise that’s been through the wringer.
Real talk: this is worse than the initial injury reports suggested. A UCL sprain in the *shooting* elbow for a player whose game relies heavily on explosive drives and finishes around the rim? That’s a serious red flag. Morant was already dealing with the aftermath of his 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season. He only played nine games this year, averaging 25.1 points and 8.1 assists, showing glimpses of the old Ja. Remember that December 29th game against the Nuggets? He dropped 35 points on 13-of-25 shooting, including a ridiculous game-winner over Nikola Jokic. That felt like a turning point. Instead, it was a mirage.
The Long Road Back
This isn't just about missing games; it's about a player’s entire athletic prime getting eaten up by injury and self-inflicted wounds. Morant will be 27 when he next steps on an NBA court. Think about that. He’ll have played a total of nine games in two full seasons by then. The last time a star guard faced such a lengthy layoff due to a similar elbow issue was… well, it’s rare in basketball. Pitchers, sure. But for an NBA guard, it’s uncharted territory. His 2022-23 season, where he averaged 26.2 points and 8.1 assists, now feels like ancient history.
Memphis signed Morant to a five-year, $194 million extension that kicked in this season. That’s a lot of money for a player who won’t see the court for two years. His absence leaves a gaping hole. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are good, but they're not Ja. The Grizzlies finished 2022-23 with a 51-31 record, second in the Western Conference. This season, they’re 15-28, sitting 13th. The drop-off is stark, and it's not all about the elbow.
Rebuilding the Foundation
Here’s the thing: the Grizzlies need to treat this as a complete reset. They can’t just tread water for two years. They’ve got to figure out what they have in their other young pieces. Santi Aldama, for example, has shown flashes, but he's not a cornerstone. Luke Kennard, signed for $14.7 million this season, has been inconsistent. This prolonged absence might force the front office to make bolder moves than they planned.
My hot take? This injury, as devastating as it is, forces the Grizzlies to finally address their lack of veteran leadership and playmaking beyond Morant. They’ve relied too heavily on his individual brilliance. They need to use their draft capital in 2024 and 2025 to find another high-upside creator, not just role players. They also need to seriously consider trading one of their existing core pieces to rebalance the roster and acquire more stable veteran presence. Otherwise, Morant will return to the same incomplete team he left, only two years older and potentially less explosive.
Bold prediction: When Morant eventually returns in 2026-27, he won't be the same gravity-defying finisher at the rim, but he'll have developed a more consistent jumper and refined his playmaking, making him a more complete, albeit less flashy, point guard.