Ja Morant Injury Timeline Revealed by Grizzlies amid NBA Trade Deadline Rumors

As the Memphis Grizzlies continue to weigh their options ahead of the trade deadline, Ja Morant is going to be out for an extended period again due to an injury.

The Grizzlies announced Morant will be reevaluated in three weeks after being diagnosed with a UCL sprain in his left elbow that was sustained in the third quarter of Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks.

According to injury analyst Jeff Stotts, the typical recovery time for a mild-to-moderate UCL sprain is around 22 days.

Given that timeframe, Morant's earliest return date would be in the first game coming out of the All-Star break against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 20.

Morant was injured on a chase-down block when he hit his elbow on the backboard while swatting the ball on a Dyson Daniels layup attempt.

It wasn't immediately apparent that anything was wrong with Morant. He left the game for a brief period in the third quarter before returning and he played nine minutes in the fourth quarter.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Morant said his elbow didn't feel any different than when he would hit his funny bone.

"I did hit it on the backboard," he explained. "Just was a little sting, like funny bone. I was good, though."

The Grizzlies ruled Morant out for Thursday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. He was officially listed as having a sprained elbow on the injury report.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Jan. 9 that Memphis was entertaining trade offers for Morant, but there is no indication at this point that any team is strongly pursuing the two-time All-Star.

Injuries are one explanation for why there might be a limited market for Morant. He has already missed 23 games this season due primarily to calf and ankle injuries.

Morant just recently returned to the lineup on Jan. 18 after missing six consecutive games due to a strained calf. He played well in two games prior to the elbow injury, posting back-to-back 20-point double-doubles.

The Grizzlies have lost nine of their last 12 games and fallen to 12th in the Western Conference with an 18-25 record.