Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who had season-ending surgery on his right shoulder in January, expects to be medically cleared in about two weeks, he told reporters at his annual basketball camp in Memphis, via Action News 5 and the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
"I hate being around basketball and not being able to play, man," Morant said. "I don't got too much longer, I can wait to make sure I'm able to play and be cleared when the season comes."
UPDATE: Ja Morant said his shoulder is feeling good and that he hopes to be cleared in around 2 weeks.
— Griffin S. DeMarrais (@GDeMarraisTV) June 22, 2024
And for the first time in months we are starting to see some right handed shots again.... good to see. @WMCActionNews5 pic.twitter.com/GckT9fWx9C
Morant barely played during the 2023-24 season. After serving a 25-game suspension for multiple instances of brandishing a gun on Instagram Live, he returned to play nine games, in which he averaged 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists. He then tore his labrum in practice, and that was it.
The Grizzlies went 6-3 with their franchise player in the lineup, but injuries -- to Morant, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart -- doomed them to a 27-55 record. Between Morant's suspension and the October announcement that the since-traded Steven Adams would be out for the year, Memphis' season was derailed before it even started.
This Wednesday, the Grizzlies will pick ninth in the NBA Draft, and Morant told reporters that he's "excited to see what happens." After a down season, Memphis expects to be back in the playoff mix in the West in 2024-25, with some roster tweaks and Morant back to run the show.
