Ja Morant's season is over after just nine games.
The Memphis Grizzlies star point guard will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, the team announced on Monday night.
The Grizzlies said Morant suffered a subluxation of his right shoulder during a training session on Saturday and, following ongoing soreness and instability, an MRI revealed he had an "underlying labral tear."
Morant is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2024-25 season.
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Shortly after the announcement, Morant posted a blue heart emoji on X.
Morant was suspended by the NBA for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season following a second incident where he flashed a gun on social media. He was previously suspended eight games during last season in the wake of the first incident.
NBA
The two-time All-Star returned from his latest suspension on Dec. 23 and went on to appear in nine games, averaging 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists on 47.1/27.5/81.3 shooting splits. The Grizzlies went 6-3 with Morant in the lineup this season, a marked improvement over their 7-20 record without him.
It's just the latest injury blow to a Grizzlies team that was already down a couple of key players. The Grizz lost starting center Steven Adams to season-ending knee surgery before the 2023-24 campaign began, while reserve big man Brandon Clarke is still recovering from an Achilles tear he suffered last season.
