Grizzlies' Ja Morant Reportedly Will Play Opener vs. Pelicans Amid Injury, Jerome Out

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is expected to play the team's season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday after dealing with an ankle injury during preseason, per NBA insider Marc Stein.

Stein added that Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. will not be active on Wednesday.

ESPN's Bobby Marks noted that the Grizzlies will qualify for a Disabled Player Exception since Jerome, Pippen, Brandon Clarke and Zach Edey will all miss three consecutive games.

Morant suffered a sprained left ankle during his team's Oct. 5 practice. The Grizzlies stated that he would be week-to-week.

Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo told reporters the ailment happened during a "basketball play" near the practice's conclusion.

"Luckily, it's preseason, and we look to have him back soon," Iisalo said.

Morant was asked about the injury, and he clearly expected to be available for his team's Oct. 22 regular season opener at home against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The 26-year-old Morant has played all six seasons with the Grizzlies, who selected the former Murray State star with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

During his career, Morant has won the Rookie of the Year award and the Most Improved Player award (2021-22). He also made the All-Star team twice and the All-NBA Second Team once.

Memphis has made the playoffs in four of Morant's six seasons, with the lone exceptions being his rookie year and the 2023-24 campaign, when he played just nine games due to a combination of injuries (namely a labral tear in his right shoulder that led to season-ending surgery) and a 25-game suspension due to conduct detrimental to the league.

Last season, Morant was held to 50 games due to injury. He notably suffered a hip subluxation and pelvic muscle strains suffered in November and a Grade 1 AC joint sprain suffered in December that Morant said in March was still bothering him. In addition, Morant suffered a hip contusion during the team's first round loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last April.

Obviously, the Grizzlies will go only so far as their star takes them, so the hope is Morant can be available as much as possible. On paper, the Grizzlies look like they took a hit with the team trading Desmond Bane (19.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.3 APG) to the Orlando Magic last offseason, but they still have pieces to contend, including Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.