The smile had finally stopped fading. Ja Morant found his inner passion to give his all for the Memphis Grizzlies. That lasted two games. Morant is facing another injury setback, ruling him out beyond the February 5 trade deadline. The latest injury has infuriated NBA fans who feel the Grizzlies cornerstone will never reach his full potential.

According to Underdog, Ja Morant will miss three weeks due to a UCL sprain in his elbow. The two-time All-Star suffered the ailment when the Grizzlies took on the Atlanta Hawks on January 21. He missed the subsequent game against the New Orleans Pelicans, after which the Grizzlies announced his injury timeline.

On a positive note, Morant is expected to make a full recovery. The dazzling guard has been at the center of rampant trade rumors after falling out with his Grizzlies teammates and the coaching staff. However, since making his return against the Orlando Magic in London, the two sides seem to have found space to repair their fractured relationship.

Notably, Ja Morant flaunted the Grizzlies tattoo on his back, clarifying his loyalty still lies with the team. Reports have also emerged about the franchise being open to keeping the electric guard beyond the trade deadline. That’s why the timing of Morant’s elbow injury sucks. He was just starting to find his momentum, showing flashes of his explosive self.

Nonetheless, Morant appears motivated to get past another setback and return with the Grizzlies as soon as possible. The team is also practicing patience. Sadly, the same can’t be said about the NBA community. They have started to wave the white flag.

NBA fans grill Ja Morant for another injury

Just when it looked like vintage Ja Morant was back, an elbow injury has raised the same concerns again. Will durability always be an issue with Morant? One fan went as far as calling him the “new Joel Embiid” because of his inability to last an entire NBA season. The 2019-20 Rookie of the Year hasn’t met the 65-game criterion since his rookie season, when he played 67 games.

Before returning to the lineup against the Orlando Magic, Morant missed six games due to a calf injury. With the latest blow, the Grizzlies guard could potentially miss all games before the All-Star break. “Bro this guy can’t stay on the court,” one fan raised their concerns.

But that wasn’t the biggest worry. “Holy s–t. Trade deadline is officially dead,” a fan wrote. Notably, Ja Morant was among the several stars heavily linked with a trade. He joined a group with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jonathan Kuminga, and Anthony Davis. All three of them are dealing with injuries that will keep them out beyond the February trade deadline.

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It’s especially crushing for Ja Morant, who played splendid basketball in the two games since returning from injury. He logged 20-point double-doubles in both games. Having to go through another rehab process must be incredibly frustrating. Some fans feel the Grizzlies, despite his commitment, should sell him.

Albeit, they are aware of how injuries have impacted his stock. “That’s not helping his trade value,” a fan mentioned. That is true. But at this moment, it doesn’t look like the Grizzlies will actively look to trade Ja Morant. They will look forward to his return around the All-Star break as the team battles Play-In contention.

Even if they were to explore a move, teams won’t want to trade for an injured star halfway through the season. It’s sad to see Morant having to go through the same troubles again. Let’s hope the vivacious point guard can improve his durability and instill a winning culture in Memphis again.

Do you think the Grizzlies should look to trade Morant? Let us know your views in the comments below.