Ja Morant's 2025-26 season is over. The Memphis Grizzlies announced Tuesday night that the 26-year-old guard will miss the remainder of the year after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat a UCL sprain in his left elbow — an injury he sustained on January 21 in just his second game back from a two-week absence due to calf soreness.
Morant played in only 20 games this season, averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists per game. The Grizzlies say he is expected to make a full recovery for the 2026-27 campaign, but that projection does little to soften what has been another deeply frustrating year for a player who was, just a few seasons ago, considered one of the most electric young stars in the NBA.
The injury was not the only story. Earlier this season, Morant was suspended by the Grizzlies themselves following a confrontation with first-year head coach Tuomas Iisalo — his third career suspension, following two gun-related incidents off the court in previous years. His name circulated in trade rumors all winter. The team explored the market before the February deadline and found minimal interest. Memphis ultimately kept him and shipped out former running mates Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. within the last 12 months. With Morant sidelined, the Grizzlies entered Tuesday at 24-47, firmly in lottery territory.
The larger picture is harder to ignore. In the three full seasons since Morant's breakout 2021-22 campaign, he has played 50, nine, and now 20 games. The combination of injury and off-court turbulence has derailed what looked like a generational talent on the rise. He remains one of the most watchable players in the league when healthy — the athleticism, the finishing ability, the court vision are all still there. But the question heading into next offseason is no longer just about his health. It's about whether Memphis has the patience, and the roster, to build around him for another run.
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