Ja Morant, a two-time All-Star and the standout star guard for the Memphis Grizzlies. Unfortunately, he’ll now miss at least two weeks due to a calf strain. The 26-year-old player will be most sorely missed as his Memphis teammates head into a difficult stretch. They’re currently mired in a four-game losing streak and have lost eight of their last nine games overall. Morant’s injury is just another hit to this franchise as they fight through struggles and team spirit.
Morant made his return to the Grizzlies lineup on November 3rd against Detroit, after serving a suspension for conduct unbecoming to the team. Ever since he’s had trouble getting into a groove. His current averages reflect a downturn in performance, with career lows in several key statistics: he is playing only 28.8 minutes per game, shooting 35.9% from the field, and hitting just 16.7% of his three-point attempts. On top of that, he’s averaging a career-low 3.5 rebounds per game and a career-high 3.8 turnovers per game.
Morant’s suspension followed an incident after the Grizzlies’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on October 31, where he had an exchange with head coach Tuomas Iisalo. This incident would go on to impact a chaotic and rocky beginning to the season for both Morant and the franchise. He has only played in 59 games over the last two seasons. Injuries, along with a suspension, created questions as to his availability moving forward.
Morant’s contract, a five-year deal worth $197.2 million signed in 2022, underscores the investment the Grizzlies made in him as a cornerstone of their franchise. His current struggles and the team’s ongoing losing streak put additional pressure on him to recover quickly and help lift Memphis out of its slump.
The Grizzlies have a rugged slate of games approaching in Morant’s absence. This development will suddenly force everyone else to step up and meet a newfound challenge to fill his huge void. Our team is working doggedly to win back that lost momentum. They’ve made sweeping changes, on and off the court, in hopes of playing deep into a loaded Western Conference.
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