Ja Morant's latest injury might have concluded Grizzlies tenure

It has been terrific at times, tumultuous at others.

Now, is it over?

Ja Morant, who returned to the Memphis Grizzlies lineup just long enough to show he had some electrifying ability left, is now out again -- and this time the length of the expected absence could extend past his last day with his only NBA organization.

Morant, who missed time earlier this season with a calf injury and hasn't reached the 65-game plateau in any of the past six seasons, now has an elbow issue that he said wasn't serious, but will keep him out at least three weeks, according to the organization.

The @memgrizz today announced the following medical update for Ja Morant. pic.twitter.com/0UTXPJfIEF
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) January 24, 2026

Naturally, this will be met with some skepticism, for the timing alone. Not that the injury is illegitimate, but the timeline going out past the trade deadline could lead some to speculate at the Grizzlies want to keep Morant on ice as they try to make a deal. Just as there's been skepticism toward Morant's statements about wanting to remain with the team.

Regardless, this makes it harder for the Grizzlies on the court, as they are already missing Zach Edey, Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr. and others, with their timelines for returns consistently getting bumped back. Memphis has fallen out of play-in seeding since Edey went out, slipping to 12th in the West behind Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas. The Warriors could fall back without Jimmy Butler, but it's still looking like a considerable challenge for the Grizzlies to make something of this season.

Memphis does have its first round pick in a deep draft, so there's some value to a soft tank and a reset next season around Edey, Cedric Coward, Cam Spencer, Jaylen Wells and other young players.

What does that mean for Morant and Jaren Jackson, Jr.?

We will see.

And if the Grizzlies do more aggressively try to move Morant, what kind of return can they expect when there's now more evidence that he can't stay on the court? It was already appearing that their return would be underwhelming for someone who was the No. 2 pick in his draft and has sometimes looked like a top 20 player in the league. While Morant has had a few strong games, the Grizzlies have rarely won when he's played, and his turnovers have been quite high while his shooting percentages are career lows.

All in all, it makes for a fascinating 12 days for the former franchise player, with none of his actual action now coming on the floor.