Morant reveals precise elbow pain triggers, detailing his ongoing rehab and unwavering confidence in returning to the court this season.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant faces continued uncertainty about his playing status this season due to a sprained ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). As he continues his recovery, he must be able to perform a specific movement at a high level when playing before returning to NBA action.
Morant spoke publicly for the first time since suffering the injury on Jan. 21, addressing reporters ahead of Memphis's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. It was the clearest insight shared into what the two-time All-Star is dealing with that has prevented him from returning to the lineup.
"If I was basically whipping a pass to the opposite side with that hand is the biggest problem," Morant said, via the Commercial Appeal. "Other than that, I feel like I can fight through it, but also still have to be smart."
The Grizzlies announced on Thursday that Morant will be re-evaluated in two weeks after follow-up imaging on Wednesday showed what the team called "incomplete healing of the injury."
Morant, who has not played since Jan. 21 against the Atlanta Hawks, finished his most recent performance with 23 points, two rebounds, and 12 assists before identifying this elbow concern. He has played in 20 games this season, averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists.
Part of the recovery process often involves a return to competition conditioning. However, Morant pushed back against the idea that that was a factor in slowing him down. He explained that, since his lower body is unaffected by this injury, he's been able to maintain his conditioning throughout the process.
Regarding Morant's injury, the UCL connects the ulnar bone to the elbow joint and handles rotational stress. As he explained, such an injury complicates making a cross-body pass, given the potential for injury aggravation. A UCL sprain at this stage of the season presents a natural management question for the Grizzlies organization, given the team is in the middle of a roster transition after parting ways with Jaren Jackson Jr. in a blockbuster trade in February.
Memphis has remained cautious to avoid creating unnecessary public pressure with released timelines. Stating a two-week window for a re-evaluation leaves runway for Morant to continue his recovery process and return if he's truly healthy.
As it stands, Morant is eager to return to action and compete again, but he's valuing the importance of doing so at the proper time.