Ja Morant returned from his shoulder injury on Wednesday to face the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the game did little to reassure anyone about the nature of his injury.
Morant had missed two games with shoulder soreness that has plagued him throughout the season. In his return on Wednesday, he looked to be in pain at times, and shot just 8-for-22 from the field.
After the game, the Memphis Grizzlies star admitted he probably rushed back from the injury, and worryingly admitted that the shoulder might bother him all year.
Ja Morant looks ahead
Feb 12, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
“Terrible,” Morant said, via Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I should have been out. But I was out there. Regardless of out, in — there’s going to be something said.”
Morant said “I don’t know” when asked if the shoulder would be a problem for the rest of the season.
Morant is shooting just 40.8 percent from the field since the start of the new year, and has missed 12 of the team’s last 30 games. It certainly looks like the injury is affecting him, and that probably is not going to change. It is not a good sign if Morant is playing through it even though he clearly feels like he shouldn’t be, either.
The Grizzlies have lost four in a row, and Morant’s frustrations seem to be mounting. It is tough to see them breaking through in a crowded Western Conference unless something significantly changes or Morant gets a lot healthier very quickly.