NBA Draft: Will Minor Procedure Result in Memphis Grizzlies Passing on Ja Morant?

As Ja Morant prepares for a minor operation less than three weeks prior to the 2019 NBA Draft, should the Memphis Grizzlies look beyond the Murray State product?

Life for the Memphis Grizzlies around the time of the NBA Draft is never easy or smooth. While the Grizzlies became extremely lucky at the NBA Draft Lottery, the latest development may force them to think beyond Ja Morant with the No. 2 overall pick.

Since landing the second pick, the Grizzlies quickly focused on a selection of Morant. They are sold on his potential both now and in the future. Let’s face it. He has all the tools necessary to become a great point guard in the NBA, even from Day One.

As of June 1st — less than three weeks until the 2019 NBA Draft arrives — ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped a report regarding Ja Morant’s status, stating the Murray State product will have to sit out of basketball activity for the next “three to four weeks” due to a minor procedure on a knee.

ESPN Sources: Point guard Ja Morant — the projected No. 2 pick in the June NBA Draft — will undergo a minor scope on his right knee to remove a “loose body” on Monday. He’s expected to be fully recovered in 3-to-4 weeks.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 1, 2019

This is a very minor setback for Ja Morant. It honestly should not even be considered a setback. Perhaps preventative maintenance is the best terminology for his upcoming procedure.

Saturday’s news seems fitting for an NBA Draft target of the Memphis Grizzlies, considering they have a long history of injury-plagued seasons, especially when it comes to their own rookies. Even in this most recent NBA season, Jaren Jackson Jr. appeared in just 58 regular season games. Jevon Carter suffered a thumb injury shortly after being drafted by Memphis nearly one year ago.

It extends beyond the 2018-19 season, too. You think about what could have been from a scoring standpoint with Jordan Adams. Then there was Jarell Martin, who finally overcame multiple injuries to post a somewhat decent stat line with the Grizzlies prior to being traded to the Orlando Magic last year. The list goes on.

Ja Morant’s upcoming procedure is not major news, so do not be alarmed, Grizz Nation. It is not an ACL tear. It is not even a meniscus tear, which is something common and does not typically require a long recovery period. It is probably best for him to not participate in pre-Draft workouts, so that he does not sustain a major fluke injury, which would land a direct hit to his NBA Draft stock.

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Still, if there was any hope for the Memphis Grizzlies to think twice on selecting Ja Morant at No. 2 overall, now is the time. While most NBA Draft experts do not see this year’s crop of prospects as having a high chance of NBA All-Star production, there are a lot of players that are oozing with potential. They just need to find the right team, the right fit, and the right mentor(s).

With Ja Morant, the Grizzlies need to make the selection as the NBA Draft is their best bet in landing a player with superstar potential. It has been hard enough for them to form teams to compete in the Western Conference, let alone keep all their guys healthy for 82 games. Since they do not expect to land big-name free-agents any time soon, they should not defer from Morant, who looks to have all the tools necessary at the point guard position.

While the Memphis Grizzlies need to remain focused on Ja Morant, it will be interesting to see if they pull the trigger on inviting other top prospects just as a backup plan. If they begin to have serious doubts on Morant, someone such as R.J. Barrett or Jarrett Culver may be wearing a Grizzlies uniform instead.