The 2025-26 season has tested the spirit of the city of Memphis in a whole new level. The last proof of it arrived on Tuesday night when the Memphis Grizzlies officially announced that superstar guard Ja Morant has been shut down for the remainder of the season.
For a franchise that once seemed destined for a deep playoff run at the beginning of the year, this news serves as a somber “goodbye” to their star for the rest of the year.
A setback in his elbow recovery
Morant has been sidelined since January 21, battling a UCL sprain in his left elbow. While the hope was that a rigorous rehabilitation program would see him return for perhaps the last bits of the campaign, a “lingering discomfort” forced the team to seek a more definitive medical consultation.
The result was a shift in strategy. Rather than pushing for a return, the Grizzlies’ medical staff recommended a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection to optimize ligament healing. Morant will begin offloading the elbow immediately following the procedure. Now, with only 11 games left in the regular season, the recovery window has officially closed for his 2025-26 campaign.
A year full of shifts
When Morant did take the floor this season, he showed flashes of his All-Star brilliance, but the numbers did not lie at the end of the day and reflected the stats of a player who was navigating a difficult transition. In his 20 appearances this season, Morant posted 19.5 PPG (his lowest average since his sophomore season) with an efficiency of 41% from the field. However, and surprisingly, he tied a career-high with 8.1 assists per game, proving his evolution as a floor general even as his scoring dipped.
Having appeared in only 79 games over the previous three seasons, the priority for Memphis has shifted entirely toward ensuring Morant returns to his 100% explosive self for the next year.
By prioritizing his health now, the Grizzlies are betting on a 2027 comeback that plans to reunite a healthy Ja with a rested and new roster. For now, the lights at FedExForum may be a little dimmer, but the focus is entirely on the future. And it looks promising.
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