Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant sprained his left elbow's UCL in Wednesday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks, ruling him out for at least three weeks through the NBA trade deadline. This development adds fresh uncertainty to ongoing trade discussions around the two-time All-Star.
In the closing moments of the Grizzlies' 124-122 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, Ja Morant suffered a sprained UCL in his left elbow. The team announced Saturday that the star guard will miss at least three weeks, with re-evaluation planned then—extending through the February 5 trade deadline at 3 p.m. ET.
This injury comes amid reports earlier this month that Memphis is entertaining trade offers for Morant, a shift from prior stances, with interest from teams like the Raptors, Heat, Kings, Timberwolves, and Bucks. Morant, who recently returned strong with a standout game in London and a double-double vs. the Hawks, now faces another availability setback. His career issues include suspensions (8 games in 2023, 25 in 2023-24) and injuries like a season-ending shoulder problem last year, limiting him to 79 games since 2023-24 began. This season: 19.5 PPG, 8.1 APG, 3.3 RPG on 41.0% FG and 23.5% 3PT in 20 games.
Under contract through 2027-28 ($87M remaining post-2025-26), Morant is extension-eligible this summer, but the injury mutes his market, especially with broader hesitancy (e.g., Giannis' calf strain). The 18-25 Grizzlies (12th in West) host Denver Sunday and Houston Monday without their key playmaker.