“Can’t Bank on Ja Morant Being Healthy”: Evan Turner Doesn’t Believe the Grizzlies ‘Want to Win’ This Year

At one point, Ja Morant seemed primed to become arguably the greatest point guard in the league. Injuries have slowed down that narrative tremendously over the past two seasons. He has only played in 59 out of the last possible 164 games. Regardless, his health was at an all-time high leading up to the 2025-26 season. Unfortunately, another injury arose, setting the star guard back once again. As much as former NBA player Evan Turner wants to believe in the Memphis Grizzlies, uncertainty surrounding Morant remains a huge deterrent.

It’s amazing how quickly things can change in the NBA. In the 2022-23 season, the Memphis Grizzlies were the second seed and on their way to becoming a powerhouse in the Western Conference. Circumstances out of the team’s hands put a change in the franchise’s trajectory.

Ja Morant would deal with off-court issues and injuries the following season, leading the Grizzlies to miss the postseason. In the 2024-25 season, they were able to bounce back and sneak into the playoffs. Unfortunately, they had to go against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round, which resulted in a four-game sweep.

Now, the Grizzlies are in a peculiar spot. They traded away Desmond Bane for a package centred around draft capital. They intended for Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. to lead the charge for the team. However, they will both begin the season on the sidelines. NBA analyst Chris Mannix can’t seem to convince himself to hop on the Grizzlies hype train due to the injuries.

“I’m not optimistic that this team can stay on the floor in one piece, that they can stay healthy,” Mannix said on Sports Illustrated’s Open Floor. 

Morant and Jackson aren’t even the only players currently on the injury list. Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke are also going to miss time with injuries, which is a major blow to their rotation. Many people believe this Grizzlies core should still be competing among the West’s top teams. Evan Turner, on the other hand, points to their recent moves as an indicator of their new direction.

“Once you saw the Bane trade and then firing a coach, I don’t think they really want to win. With the Bane trade, they got four first-round picks, and they still have a couple of good young players on the bench,” Turner said.

The bright side of the injuries is that young players such as Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, Vince Williams, and Cedric Coward will receive a bigger opportunity to develop. This may give the Grizzlies the confirmation regarding the direction the team will have to head. They can only give Morant so much of a leash before changes need to happen.

“You just can’t bank on Ja Morant being healthy for at least 55 games or 60 games. They almost do a thing like if you ain’t playing, I ain’t playing,” Turner proclaimed.

Major decisions loom for the Grizzlies. This could be the last season Morant and Jackson share the court as teammates. Regardless, something has to change, and it will be sooner rather than later.