Portland, Oregon - The Trail Blazers must play without star guard Ja Morant for the next four weeks of the NBA season due to a left hamstring injury, the team announced Friday.
It's a sad day for Trail Blazer fans. The 27-year-old American suffered the injury on Thursday night in the fourth quarter of a 124-103 home loss to Memphis, Morant's former club, which drafted him second overall in 2019.
Morant emerged as a star with the Grizzlies but was handed a pair of lengthy suspensions and limited to 20 games last season by injuries, prompting his trade to Portland in June.
Imaging revealed a grade-two left hamstring strain, and Morant will be re-evaluated in four weeks, the Trail Blazers posted on social media.
Morant, voted the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2022, averaged 22.4 points, 7.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals during his first seven seasons, all with Memphis.
He helped to Trail Blazers to a 3-1 start this season, averaging 15.8 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and one steal per game.