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It appears that the Memphis Grizzlies will not have the services of star point guard Ja Morant on the court for an extended period. On Monday, Memphis announced that Morant has been diagnosed with a “Grade 1 AC joint sprain” in his shoulder and that his status at the moment is considered week-to-week.
Here's the Grizzlies' official announcement about Morant's status:
Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the following medical update for guard Ja Morant:
Morant has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, which occurred during the Grizzlies' game against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 27. He is considered week-to-week, and further updates will be provided as appropriate.
The high-flying Grizzlies guard sustained the injury after running into a hard screen set by New Orleans Pelicans big man Daniel Theis during a game at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans last Friday.
Ja Morant was never ruled out of the contest, but he spent time in the locker room and was considered doubtful to return in that contest. He returned to the bench but did not see any more action. Against the Pels, Morant collected a total of 25 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field, seven assists, two rebounds and a steal in 25 minutes of floor duty, helping the Grizzlies eke out a 132-124 road win.
Morant then missed the following Grizzlies game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City along with rookie big man Zach Edey, who was in concussion protocol at that time.
With Morant expected to miss multiple games, the Grizzlies could expand the roles of the likes of Scotty Pippen Jr., Desmond Bane and Luke Kennard. Morant's injury is also the latest blow to Memphis' backcourt which is currently missing Marcus Smart, who will be re-evaluated in two weeks after suffering a right index injury.
Morant, selected by the Grizzlies as the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, is averaging 21.2 points, 7.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game so far in the 2024-25 regular season while also shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from behind the arc.
