Ja Morant reacts to a question during a press conference.
Memphis Grizzlies star guardJa Morant is expected to be ready for opening night after missing most of the preseason with a sprained ankle, head coach Tuomas Iisalo told reporters on October 20.
Ja Morant is expected to play opening night
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) October 20, 2025
Morant had been listed as week-to-week since sustaining the injury earlier this month, but Iisalo said that he has made steady progress and has returned to on-court work.
“Ja is progressing really well,” Iisalotold the Commercial Appeal. “He’s expected to make a return on opening night.”
Ja Morant’s Recovery Timeline
Morant initially injured his right ankle during a practice on October 5. The team labeled him week-to-week and held him out of all preseason games as a precaution. The two-time All-Star has a history of lower-body injuries, including right ankle sprains in both 2021 and 2023, which the team has managed carefully in recent seasons.
Morant’s return would be a major boost for a Memphis roster that has battled injuries to several key players this offseason. ForwardJaren Jackson Jr. and centerBrandon Clarke have also been limited, while guardScotty Pippen Jr. was ruled out for 12 weeks with a leg injury earlier this week. Second-year centerZach Edey is expected back in mid-to-late November after ankle surgery, whileTy Jerome is dealing with a calf injury.
What It Means for Memphis
Getting Morant back for opening night would give Memphis a major lift as it looks to rebound from last season’s injury-plagued campaign. The Grizzlies finished 48–34 in 2024–25 but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual NBA championOklahoma City Thunder after struggling to maintain lineup consistency. Memphis also moved on from Taylor Jenkins with nine games left in the regular season, placing an interim coaching tag on Iisalo.
Morant averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 50 games last season, his first full year back after a suspension sidelined him for part of 2023–24. He remains the centerpiece of the Grizzlies’ up-tempo attack, and his availability could help stabilize a backcourt rotation that leaned heavily on a ball-handling-by-committee approach.
If cleared, Morant is expected to resume his normal workload, though the Grizzlies could monitor his minutes early in the season to ensure durability.
The Grizzlies emphasized patience during Morant’s recovery, focusing on long-term health rather than preseason appearances. With the Western Conference loaded again, Memphis views a fully healthy Morant as essential to returning to contention. His explosiveness in transition and improved shot creation remain central to the team’s offensive identity.
It will be interesting to see how Morant plays this season. Last season, he told ESPN he wasn’t trying to dunk in games anymore, prioritizing his health over highlights. He’s been a human highlight machine since he entered the league, making the Memphis Grizzlies one of the most watchable teams in the league – proverbially “a League Pass team.”
What’s Next
The Grizzlies have one remaining preseason tune-up before the regular season opener, and Iisalo said the team will continue to assess Morant’s conditioning. Memphis has not ruled out giving him light minutes in the final exhibition game to regain rhythm.
The team opens its season against thePelicans on October 22, a matchup that would mark Morant’s first appearance since April.