Ja Morant was among two Memphis Grizzlies starters added to the team’s latest injury report.
Morant and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are both listed as questionable for the game against the Miami Heat at FedExForum on Oct. 24 (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Southeast). Morant is battling left ankle soreness, and Caldwell-Pope has soreness in his right ankle.
Both players started and finished the 128-122 season-opening win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 22.
Morant led the Grizzlies with 35 points on 13-for-20 shooting. The point guard was slow to get up and limped before going to the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. He finished the game strong and scored the decisive bucket when he made a floater with 32.9 seconds remaining to give Memphis a two-possession lead.
Morant missed all five preseason games due to a left ankle sprain he suffered during an Oct. 5 practice. A day before the game against the Pelicans, Morant said he would be wearing ankle braces in the matchup.
Caldwell-Pope, a 6-foot-5 guard, has been one of the NBA’s most durable players throughout his career. He has never missed more than eight games in any season. He is in his 13th NBA season and first with the Grizzlies.
Caldwell-Pope finished with 15 points and three assists in the win over the Pelicans.
Memphis is already extremely short-handed in the backcourt. Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe procedure) and Ty Jerome (calf strain) will both miss at least the next month. Vince Williams Jr. also remains out with right heel soreness.
Rookie second-round pick Javon Small is the lone other healthy point guard on the Grizzlies’ roster, so Morant’s availability is important.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
