The Memphis Grizzlies would attest to the fact that Murphy's Law is real. The Grizzlies were already on the backfoot to begin the year, with Ja Morant out for the team's first 25 games due to a suspension. Upon Morant's return, the Grizzlies' performance on the court improved remarkably. But shortly after, the Grizzlies proceeded to lose Morant to a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery.

Now, the Grizzlies are trying to make the most out of the rough hand they've been dealt. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Grizzlies have applied for a Disabled Player Exception (DPE) worth $12.4 million in the aftermath of Morant's season-ending torn labrum.

For the league to grant a team a DPE, they must confirm that the injured player would be unable to play until June 15 of the same season. This definitely tracks with Ja Morant's injury timeline. Torn labrum surgeries tend to keep players out for a minimum of five months, and with the Grizzlies having a lost season, there's simply no way the team will be rushing him for a return even on the improbable chance that they're still alive in the postseason come June.

Not all applications for the DPE are approved by the NBA. The New York Knicks had their application denied by the league with regards to Mitchell Robinson's ankle injury. Unlike the Grizzlies star, Robinson could perhaps make his return late in the regular season for the Knicks, hence the denial of their application.

Given how much the Grizzlies' roster has been gutted as of late, especially in the aftermath of Marcus Smart's nasty finger injury that would reportedly keep him out for the next six weeks, a DPE worth $12.4 million would help them immensely in adding players that would ensure that their fall down the bottom of the standings comes with grace, not a loud thud.

DPEs can only be used to sign players to a one-year deal or trade for players with only one year left on their contract. The Grizzlies, if the league grants their DPE application, can only use it until March 10. They were already granted an exception for Steven Adams' injury before the season began worth $6.3 million. Teams cannot combine multiple DPEs to acquire a player making more than a single exception.