A rough season for Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant just got worse.
The star guard will be sidelined for two weeks, at least, with a Grade 1 right calf strain that he suffered in Memphis’ recent 108-100 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team announced on Monday.
Here’s the official announcement from the team:
“Morant sustained a Grade 1 right calf strain in the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 15. He will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks.”
Morant has been frustrated throughout the season so far. He’s averaging career-lows in minutes per game (28.8), field goal percentage (.359) and three-point percentage (.167). He’s averaging career-highs in turnovers (3.8) and personal fouls (2.3) per game.
The star guard was suspended one game for conduct detrimental to the team earlier this month. Upon his return, he made it clear that he isn’t playing with his usual joy or passion this season. Since then, his name has been consistently popping up in trade rumors, though there’s been no indication that the Grizzlies are looking to move on from the two-time All-Star.
The Grizzlies have struggled along with their star guard this season. They currently sit 12th in the Western Conference standings with a record of 4-10. They’ve lost four straight games and have a tough stretch of schedule coming up that includes games against several contenders in the West. Now, they’ll have to navigate their schedule without Morant’s services for the next couple of weeks.
Michael Kaskey-Blomain is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is an experienced sportswriter and media member with over a decade in the industry. He has covered the NBA and NFL for a variety of outlets, including CBS Sports, 247 Sports, FanSided and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Michael grew up just outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and currently resides in Philadelphia.