For a while there, it seemed like the Memphis Grizzlies were coming back to life with the return of Ja Morant, who was given a 25-game suspension by the NBA to start the season. The Grizzlies won seven of 10 games when their franchise superstar played and it seemed like they were looking to make a late push for the playoffs through the second half of the campaign.

Well, that playoff push is now completely out of the window. On Monday night, the Grizzlies announced that Ja Morant is done for the season after he suffered a torn labrum injury. Morant had a subluxation of his right shoulder during a training session on Saturday. He will undergo season-ending surgery, which should set him up for a return ahead of the 2024-25 season.

This is certainly a bummer for Morant and Memphis fans. Morant is one of the most exciting players to watch in the NBA because of his theatrics and high-flying antics that make up SportsCenter highlights on a nightly basis. Likewise, he made Grizzlies games worth watching once again.

Ja Morant's season before injury

Ja Morant did not waste time reintroducing himself back into the NBA the moment he made his 2023-24 season debut. In his first game back against the New Orleans Pelicans, Morant dropped 34 points and made the game-winning floater to give the Grizzlies the 115-113 win.

Morant paced Memphis to four straight wins with averages of 28.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 8.5 assists on 50.6 percent shooting to earn Western Conference Player of the Week honors in his first week back.

With Morant's season coming to an abrupt halt, he finishes having appeared in just nine games with averages of 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field.

Brighter days ahead for the Grizzlies

Nonetheless, as bad as this news seems, there are some positives to draw from Ja Morant's injury.

The Grizzlies' season was likely headed nowhere the moment the NBA handed down the 25-game suspension for Morant. The All-Star guard being healthy would have pushed Memphis into contention for a play-in tournament spot at least. But it would have taken a Herculean effort from Morant, given that the Grizzlies are already going to play severely undermanned the rest of the campaign.

Starting center Steven Adams is already done for the season. Brandon Clarke is still recovering from a torn Achilles. Memphis was never going to be whole this season, so this Morant injury does have its silver lining.

The Grizzlies were just 6-19 on the season before Morant made his debut, which was tied for the 4th-worst record in the league. With Morant now out of the picture, Memphis should pour its focus on preparing for next season with Morant back healthy along with Adams and Clarke.

With more losses on the way, the Grizzlies should end up getting a mid-to-high lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, which they can use to get a good prospect. Likewise, they can use the pick in a trade to upgrade their current core that is still capable of being a top-seed in the West when healthy.

In addition, Desmond Bane will continue to play a more featured role in the Grizzlies offense. The 25-year-old was able to hone his ability to score off the dribble, as well as create for his teammates. Before Morant's debut, Bane averaged 24.6 points and 5.2 assists while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from beyond the arc.