Ja Morant ankle sprain week-to-week, Grizzlies face a tough start

Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant sprained his left ankle in practice on Sunday and is listed as week-to-week, a team spokesperson said Monday, a development that is expected to sideline him for the club's five preseason games and could jeopardize his availability for the regular-season opener on Oct. 22 against New Orleans.

The injury compounds long-standing durability concerns for Morant, who missed extensive time in recent seasons. He played 50 games in 2024-25 after appearing in just nine games the previous year following shoulder surgery. He averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 30.4 minutes per game last season. Morant also suffered a hip contusion in the 2025 first-round playoff series against Oklahoma City that caused him to miss the final game of the series.

The timing of the injury intensifies pressure on Memphis after a busy offseason that reshaped the roster. The Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to Orlando and restructured Jaren Jackson Jr.'s contract to lock in the former Defensive Player of the Year. Memphis added veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, signed guard Ty Jerome, extended young forwards Santi Aldama and Cam Spencer, and used draft...