Is Ja Morant playing tonight against Miami Heat? Latest on Grizzlies star's return for preseason finale (Oct. 18)

Ja Morant will return on Friday night for the Memphis Grizzlies preseason finale against the Miami Heat at home. The NBA All-Star guard has been out since he suffered an ankle injury in the Grizzlies preseason opener against the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 7, missing the last three consecutive games.

Morant got hit on his right ankle as he tracked back while guarding a fastbreak. A Naji Marshall bounce pass hit the Grizzlies star, causing the injury. Morant tried to play through it but eventually exited the contest. He's dealt with a sore ankle since.

The Grizzlies will be glad to have him back soon, dodging possible concerns around a long-term absence. An injury-riddled 2023-24 season already pushed them into the lottery, and missing their best player to start the new season could have proved costly in their hopes of returning to the top of the Western Conference.

It's a stacked division, with at least 12 playoff contenders in the conference. The race for a postseason berth will be on from the start, making it crucial for the Grizzlies to have Ja Morant and the rest of the core ready and healthy.

Ja Morant looked solid in his preseason debut before going out injured

Ja Morant seemed like he hadn't lost a step despite playing for the first time in nearly 10 months during the Grizzlies' preseason opener. In just 18 minutes, he tallied 13 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 4 of 9.

Morant returned from his 25-game suspension spectacularly last season, too. In the nine games he played in 2023-24, he averaged 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists on 47.1% shooting.

His impact makes the Grizzlies a dark horse contender and a surefire top-six team in the West for the upcoming season in many analysts' and fans' views.

They have retained most of their core from their three consecutive playoff runs between 2021 and 2023. Meanwhile, the veteran leadership of Marcus Smart adds a new dynamic to this team. The Grizzlies didn't have that, and it was potentially one of the factors that prevented them from making it past the second round at best.