Grizzlies’ Ja Morant Sustains Ankle Injury

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will be sitting out due to an ankle injury.

Ja Morant Sits Out Due to Ankle Sprain

The Memphis Grizzlies will have to do something to shore up their now-depleted backcourt depth. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Ja Morant has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left ankle sprain that will keep him out for the foreseeable future. As of now, Morant is listed as week-to-week in the team’s injury report, and the Grizzlies’ medical staff will continue to monitor his recovery. The young All-Star guard sustained the ankle injury on Friday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Morant logged 32 minutes in that game, finishing with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists before exiting the night early. Despite an early exit from Morant, the Grizzlies still managed to hack out an 11-point victory against the Thunder.

The absence of Ja Morant will surely be a big blow for the Grizzlies’ backcourt rotation. They are still without rising star Desmond Bane, who was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain in his toe. Bane, who is one of the best young stars in the league, will miss at least a couple of weeks of action. The third-year shooting guard is putting up career-highs of 24.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season. The even more impressive feat is that Bane has been very efficient in his starring role, as he’s currently shooting a stellar 45.1% clip from the three-point line (8.5 attempts) and 91.2% from the free throw line (4.8 attempts).

With Morant and Bane sitting out for the next couple of weeks, the Grizzlies will have to squeeze out contributions from their backup backcourt players. Veteran point guard Tyus Jones has been a steady hand off the bench, and Dillon Brooks will be tasked with more scoring load.