Ja Morant has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday night's game against the Sacramento Kings, and according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, he appears to be on the cusp of returning. This is a bit of a surprise as Morant was initially ruled out for at least a week with a sprained ankle. That injury came four days ago against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As Steven Adams and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl fought for a rebound, Morant appeared to get his feet tangled with Luguentz Dort. Morant quickly crumpled to the floor in serious pain, and he had to be helped onto his feet by the team's training staff. He did not return to the game.
This is where Ja Morant’s ankle turned. pic.twitter.com/pCRp6MVHTY
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) November 19, 2022
Morant is off to an MVP-caliber start this season. He entered Friday averaging over 29 points per game to help keep the Grizzlies afloat as they've dealt with injuries to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. He finished Friday's game with a 19-point, 11-assist double-double against the Thunder. Bane, who has functioned as the primary ball-handler with Morant out in the past, is dealing with a toe sprain of his own at the moment.
Durability is the only major concern for Morant's rise to megastardom. He played only 57 games last season due to a variety of injuries, and the incredibly aggressive way that he plays combined with his rare athleticism make him something of an injury risk.
The Grizzlies retained Tyus Jones as their backup point guard this offseason, which gives them a bit of insurance for Morant's injuries. They went 20-5 without Morant last season, so while they'd certainly prefer to have him back in the lineup soon, they know they can win basketball games no matter who is on the floor.
