What happened to Ja Morant? Latest injury update as Grizzlies star is out for the season

Ja Morant's 2023-24 NBA season lasted only nine games, with the Memphis Grizzlies announcing that their star guard would be sidelined for the rest of the season due to injury.

The Grizzlies star was having a solid run. He had inspired the team to a 4-0 streak after his comeback. Morant averaged 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game in nine appearances. He shot 47.1% and 27.5% from 3-point range.

The Grizzlies, who were 6-19 before Morant's return, had improved to 13-23, going 7-4 since his return.

What happened to Ja Morant?

Morant sustained a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The Grizzlies superstar will undergo season-ending surgery.

The 24-year-old had just returned from a 25-game suspension for flashing a gun on Instagram Live in May.

He was suspended for eight games for the same offense in March last year. Morant joins Grizzlies' center Steven Adams as the other player to miss the entire season because of injury.

Morant missed two games since his comeback. The first was due to an illness on Dec. 28 against the Denver Nuggets. He missed the Grizzlies' last game against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday because of the shoulder injury that's sidelined him for the season.

When did Ja Morant injure himself?

Morant injured himself on Saturday during a training session. The Grizzlies revealed Morant suffered a subluxation. After feeling soreness and instability, he underwent an MRI that revealed he had a labrum tear.

The timeline for such an injury is typically six months.

Impact of Ja Morant's injury on Grizzlies

Morant's injury has further dented the Grizzlies' hopes of making the postseason. Memphis is 13th in the West with a 13-23 record. It is 4.5 games behind the 10th-placed LA Lakers in the standings. The Grizzlies are also missing key players like Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke, which contributed to their dismal 3-13 start to the season.

Morant inspired the Grizzlies' fightback after going down 6-19 with four straight wins after his comeback. Memphis seemingly looked like the team it was over the past three seasons again. However, the injury could keep the Grizzlies out of postseason contention.

Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. have caught fire of late, but the absence of their on-court leader is a huge blow, especially with the most reliable role players (Adams and Clarke) out, too.

The Grizzlies have the tools to continue competing for the remainder of the season. Given the unpredictability of the West, they could pull off a surprise towards the business end of the regular season.