Injured Ja Morant Opens $12,505,000 Worth Hack for Struggling Memphis Grizzlies

In a huge blow to the Memphis Grizzlies, franchise cornerstone Ja Morant is reported to miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. This season, without Morant in the lineup, the Grizzlies have a record of 6-20. Whereas with Ja in the side, the Grizzlies have won 6 of their 10 games. Ja Morant’s injury creates a significant void in the Grizzlies’ lineup, and their chances of reaching the postseason appear to have diminished without him.

However, could the Grizzlies’ front office get creative and use a player exception, which opens up almost $12 million worth of cap space?

Morant’s absence could create 12,505,000 in cap space

The Grizzlies have suffered from terrible luck with injuries this season. Starting center, Steven Adams, remains sidelined for the entire season due to a knee injury. Furthermore, franchise star Ja Morant has also been ruled out due to labrum surgery. Because of injuries and sub-par performances, the Grizzlies remain outside the playoff picture. But, Morant’s injury could open up 12,505,000 worth of cap space because of the Disabled Player Exception. DPE is a salary cap exception, and not a roster exception, which means no extra roster spot is gained if granted. But, it does provide extra spending power to the team suffering from season-ending injuries.

This season, if the Disabled Player Exception (DPE) is approved, Morant, who is set to earn 34,005,250, could provide the Grizzlies with an additional cap space of 12,505,000. Moreover, the Grizzlies have only used $5 million of their 12,405,000 mid-level exception (signing Bismack Biyombo). Additionally, the Grizzlies possess the 12th lowest salary budget, providing their front office with significant flexibility to trade for players and attract free agents. However, whether the Grizzlies decide to utilize the Disabled Player Exception (DPE) remains uncertain.

Will the Grizzlies use the Disabled Player Exception?

The Memphis Grizzlies’ season looks to have truly gone off the rails. They currently occupy the 13th spot in the Western Conference standings, with 14 wins and 23 losses. Under such circumstances, it would be hard to imagine that the Grizzlies could use the DPE to trade for a player. Teams who are title or playoff contenders do generally apply for the DPE. Recently, the NBA rejected the Knicks’ application for a DPE worth $7.8 million due to Mitchell Robinson’s ankle surgery.

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At the moment, the Grizzlies’ hierarchy would have one eye on the current season, and the other on the 2024 NBA Draft. With Morant out for the season, the Grizzlies might strategically shift their focus to tanking, aiming to secure a high draft pick and potentially add another promising player to their roster.

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