The NBA season has unofficially begun, as the Memphis Grizzlies have completed their first of five preseason games, losing to the Detroit Pistons at home on October 6th. Ja Morant was notably missing following an ankle sprain he suffered during a practice on October 5th, and it will keep him out on a week-to-week basis.
The general feeling is that Morant is only sitting out because it is the preseason, meaning he will likely return in time for the Grizzlies' regular season opening against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 22nd. The team's performance in their first preseason game showed how important it is for Morant to be available if the team wants to compete with the NBA's best teams.
While losing a preseason game doesn't matter as teams try to figure out their rotation and limit the playing time of their starters, other factors were displayed that showed why Ja Morant has more pressure than ever to play as many games as possible this season.
The Grizzlies' depth lacks star power
Ja Morant's injury history has been mentioned a lot lately as the team begins its 2025-26 campaign. Due to this, the Grizzlies' fanbase had a natural cause for panic after hearing about his ankle sprain ahead of their first preseason game. Ty Jerome filled in adequately for the missing Ja Morant in his preseason debut for the Memphis Grizzlies with 16 points and a +22 plus/minus.
However, last year's backup point guard and presumed bench contributor for this year's team alongside Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., had a team-high -30 plus/minus against the Pistons. Both Jerome and Pippen Jr. are expected to play a lot of their minutes paired together or with Ja Morant on the court, but missing him required them to play most of their minutes separately.
Other factors incldued the Grizzlies missing other starters Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey, and key reserve big man Brandon Clarke as well. Those three players are expected to miss a portion of the regular season, which also makes it important for Morant to remain healthy himself. There is a belief that Jaren Jackson Jr. can potentially return by the start of the regular season, which would provide a huge boost.
The Grizzlies survived the 32 games Ja Morant missed last season with an 18-14 record, but after trading their third star, Desmond Bane, that will be harder to obtain if he misses that amount of time again. This year's team is catered to complement Morant's game more than ever throughout his career, which is a good thing, but only if he is available for the majority of their games.