No more playing! Left elbow UCL sprain! Another NBA star suddenly sidelined

Injury strikes again...

The Grizzlies officially announced:Morant has sustained a left elbow ulnar collateral ligament sprain and is expected to be re-assessed in approximately three weeks.

How many times has this guy been sidelined? Too many to count, literally countless.

Up to now this season, the Grizzlies have an 18-25 record, ranking 11th in the Western Conference, 1.5 games behind the 10th-place Clippers. Morant has appeared in only 20 games, averaging 28.4 minutes, with 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1 steal per game, shooting 41%, 23.5%, and 89.7% in the three main shooting categories.

This means Morant will likely not return to the court before the trade deadline on February 6th, and the next time we see him, he might no longer be wearing a Grizzlies jersey.

According to earlier reports by insider Shams, the Grizzlies are considering trading Morant and are open to listening to offers. However, Morant does not want to be traded, claiming he is extremely loyal and even tattooed the Grizzlies logo on his back.

Reporter Stein stated that in any trade talks involving Morant, the Grizzlies are seeking at least a first-round pick and a young player.

US media Legion Hoops calls forthe Bucks to quickly package and send out 23-year-old Ryan Rollins, a matching asset, and a first-round pick to acquire Morant from the Grizzlies, which might convince Giannis to stay with the team peacefully.

Morant’s current contract runs through 2028, with a salary of $39.45 million this season, and a combined $87.06 million over the next two seasons. This summer, he is eligible to sign a three-year, $178 million supermax extension.

Considering Morant’s fragile injury history, declining skills, and frequent scandals, this is arguably the Grizzlies’ last chance to fully capitalize on his trade value. Otherwise, he could turn into a negative asset, leaving them stuck with a costly burden.

This 26-year-old second overall pick is currently posting his lowest scoring average in five seasons, with career lows in both field goal and three-point percentages. Clearly, he can no longer even be considered an average All-Star, and is no longer able to carry the Grizzlies’ future.