Ja Morant Out Again For Grizzlies With UCL Sprain

Ja Morant will be sidelined for an extended stretch after the Grizzlies diagnosed a UCL sprain in his left elbow; he’ll be reevaluated in three weeks and typical recovery for a mild-to-moderate sprain is about 22 days, which would put an earliest return around Feb. 20 after the All-Star break. The injury came when he hit his elbow on the backboard on a chase-down block. Morant downplayed it, saying "I did hit it on the backboard" and "Just was a little sting, like funny bone. I was good, though." Memphis is 18-25 and slipping in the West. Merlin sees the timing clouding Memphis’ deadline choices. Morant has missed 23 games already this season and had only just returned Jan. 18 before another setback. With durability questions and reported trade interest, teams may hesitate to pursue him, leaving the Grizzlies to choose between chasing stability or selling assets while value is uncertain.