As much as the locker-room gods might panic about Ja Morant’s presence, half expecting another storm to break out between him and the coaching staff, they also know the Grizzlies don’t breathe the same without him. But tonight, the room isn’t dealing with drama. It’s watching Morant bent over in pain, wincing as he grabs his right calf. And with that, Memphis had no choice but to shut him down for the rest of the matchup against the fourth-seeded Cavaliers.

What started as a routine Grizzlies-Cavaliers matchup flipped the moment the clock showed 6:01 in the first. Ja Morant, who’d just shaken off a two-game absence, suddenly pulled up with noticeable discomfort in his right calf. Memphis was actually up 17–14 when Morant headed straight to the locker room, and minutes later, the news was confirmed by Underdog NBA, “Status alert: Ja Morant (calf) won’t return Saturday.”

Before the injury derailed everything, Morant had squeezed solid impact into just six minutes: seven points on two shot attempts, plus a rebound and two assists. He looked sharp, engaged, and ready to go, until he wasn’t. 

With their star shelved, the Grizzlies tossed the keys to Cam Spencer, Cedric Coward, and Vince Williams, hoping the trio could steady the ship. They fought, they hustled, they tried to patch the hole, but without their engine, Memphis eventually slipped to a 108–100 loss.

At this point, Memphis might as well leave a reserved seat on the injury report for Morant. The team’s been stuck in the same loop: the last two games he missed ended in losses, and dropping seven of their last eight has only made his absence feel louder.

He came into the night averaging 18.9 points and 8.1 assists, even though he’d already been dealing with an ankle issue on that same leg from Tuesday’s game in New York.

And honestly, this isn’t new territory for him. His season practically started on a limp after an early-October ankle sprain in practice had him listed as week-to-week. Even then, he pushed through and made it back for the season opener against New Orleans. 

But his injury history has built its own timeline: last year’s labral tear that shut him down, the hip subluxation, the muscle strains, the stubborn AC joint sprain, the bruised hip. It’s a list no star wants attached to their name, yet here he is again, trying to fight off another early-season setback.

After the game, Tuomas Lisalo looked completely unfazed about Ja’s injury. When pressed on whether he’d seen the play where Ja went down, he shrugged it off with a deadpan, “No, I’m not sure of that.” Questions about the team’s report of soreness didn’t spark any drama either, he just repeated, “No, I was just told he’s out for the game.” And when asked about any further updates? Classic coach speak: “There is always some further testing.” Honestly, the locker room tension was thick, but Tuomas’ responses were so bland you almost forgot a star player was sidelined.

But even when he’s playing, he’s clearly choosing survival over spectacle, dialing things back if it means avoiding another trip to the injury list.

Is Memphis reaching its breaking point with Ja Morant?

Ja Morant’s first 11 games have looked nothing like the highlight-heavy blur fans are used to. The numbers alone tell the story: 18.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 8.1 assists in ice-cold shooting splits of 35.2% from the field and 16.7% from deep. The inefficiency is jarring for someone built to slice into the paint and bend defenses at will. But here’s the twist: he’s doing it on purpose.

After the loss to OKC, the box score pointed straight at his struggles, but Morant shut down the criticism before it even warmed up. Memphis beat writer Damichael Cole shared his very direct explanation on X. When asked why his rim numbers were dipping, Morant simply repeated last year’s stance:

“I’m getting no foul calls. Y’all had a whole spiel about running in there careless and getting hurt. So what’s now? That’s what y’all want me to go back doing? Let’s end that convo right there.”

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And yet, the Grizzlies’ 0-4 stumble out of the gates, punctuated by that 114–100 loss to OKC, shoved Morant’s efficiency problems under a brighter spotlight.

His field-goal percentage has dropped to 35.9%, and his three-point shot sits at a brutal 16.7%. This slide isn’t exactly new. Ever since his second All-Star season, his scoring and efficiency have dipped year over year, raising fair questions.

This year alone, he’s posting his lowest scoring average since his rookie year, his worst true shooting percentage ever (47.7%), and the highest turnovers of his career at four per game.

With those struggles already clouding the picture and the tension bubbling around head coach Tuomas Iisalo, the conversation no longer feels avoidable: Is Ja Morant’s time in Memphis quietly ticking toward an end?