Ja Morant is a popular name ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, as the Grizzlies are reportedly listening to offers made for the guard.
However, Morant is now dealing with an elbow injury that could put a damper on some of the trade talks depending how severe it is. Morant landed on Memphis’ injury report on Thursday with a UCL sprain in his left elbow, putting him out at least for Friday’s contest vs. the Pelicans. The Grizzlies will be in action again against the Nuggets on Sunday, so we’ll see if Morant is available to compete in that game.
Morant suffered the elbow injury during Wednesday night’s loss to the Hawks when he hit the backboard after attempting a block. He didn’t seem concerned about the injury when speaking to media after the game, though.
“It was just like a little sting, funny bone,” Morant said. “I was good though.”
This injury comes at an unfortunate time for Morant, as he was just on the injury report for a calf issue earlier this month. He’s only competed in 20 of 42 games this season because of various injuries and a suspension. Wednesday night was just his second game back from his recent injury. And, now, Morant is dealing with a separate issue that put him back on the injury report.
There’s still a good chance the Grizzlies will move on from Morant in the coming weeks, if Memphis hears an offer they’re interested in pursuing. Depending on how long he’s expected to be out with the UCL sprain, Morant could’ve possibly played his final game with Memphis. He hasn’t spoken much about the trade rumors, but he did remind reporters of his loyalty to the Grizzlies during a press conference last week, citing the tattoo of the team’s logo he has on his back.
In Wednesday night’s loss to the Hawks, Morant put up a team-high 23 points and 12 assists. He’s averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ja Morant Lands Back on the Grizzlies’ Injury Report Ahead of NBA Trade Deadline.
