Ja Morant Injury Update Impacts Utah Jazz Game

It looks like the Memphis Grizzlies will continue to be without some notable firepower in their upcoming matchup against the Utah Jazz.

According to a recent injury update from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Grizzlies will be without star guard Ja Morant for the Jazz's first game following the All-Star break as he continues to rehab from a lingering elbow injury.

He also reports that veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be sidelined as he undergoes surgery on his right pinky finger.

"Ja Morant will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He’s progressing in his rehab from a UCL sprain in his left elbow, but continues to experience discomfort, Grizzlies say. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will have a surgical procedure tomorrow to fix a misalignment of his right pinky finger."

Ja Morant will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He’s progressing in his rehab from a UCL sprain in his left elbow, but continues to experience discomfort, Grizzlies say.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will have a surgical procedure tomorrow to fix a misalignment of his right pinky finger pic.twitter.com/xGK6hjsfll
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) February 19, 2026

Morant hasn't played for the Grizzlies in just under a month due to his lingering elbow issue. There was a bit more optimism to be had surrounding his availability to play following the All-Star break with some extended time off, but it appears that the wait will now be a bit longer for fans eager to see the two-time All-Star on the floor.

That means for the Jazz, and anyone else that's set to face the Grizzlies across the coming weeks, they'll have to wait a bit longer to see Morant on the other side of the floor themselves.

Morant has played one game against the Jazz previously this season, coming on December 12th when the Grizzlies guard finished with 20 points and 10 assists, albeit in a losing effort to Utah, 126-130.

Dec 12, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) drives past defender Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (12) in the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Smith-Imagn Images | Matthew Smith-Imagn Images

The Jazz have one last matchup against the Grizzlies later this regular season in mid-April, where that could very well be their last sighting of Morant in Memphis, depending on what his status of a potential trade holds later this offseason.

In what's now his seventh season with the Grizzlies, Morant has been troubled with injuries all year long, playing in just 20 games to average 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists on 41.0% shooting from the field. He's shooting his lowest clip from the field since entering the league in 2019, and averaging his lowest points per game since his second season.

Jazz Dealing With Injures Themselves

While Morant is dealing with his absence, the Jazz will also be tasked with overcoming a few injuries of their own in their upcoming matchup against Memphis.

Most notably, Jaren Jackson Jr. is now recovering from his knee surgery performed during the All-Star break that will sideline him a minimum of four weeks, but could very well mark the end of his season with the Jazz after a short three-game span.

That also means that Jackson Jr. won't be able to match up against his former team, the Grizzlies, in their first meeting following the Jazz's trade deadline deal. Considering his recovery timeline, his latest surgery likely puts him on track to have that reunion on the floor for the 2026-27 season once he's deemed fully healthy.

Therefore, both sides are set to be shorthanded for their first game out of the break in a matchup that, in reality, could have a heavier focus on lottery odds for this summer over trying to build some late-season momentum.