“This Is an Epidemic at This Point”: NBA Fans Frustrated as Ja Morant Becomes Latest Star Hit by Injury Bug

October 31, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

Ja Morant © Trail Blazers/X

As if the start of the 2026-27 season couldn’t be more frustrating, another star player is already set to miss time with an injury. On Friday night, the Portland Trail Blazers announced that Ja Morant will miss at least four weeks with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.

The All-Star guard is the latest name on a growing list of players dealing with early-season injuries. He joins stars like Anthony Edwards, Jalen Williams, Tyrese Haliburton, Kawhi Leonard, Paolo Banchero and Ben Simmons on the shelf.

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Morant suffered the injury during Thursday’s 124-103 loss to his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies. He appeared to hurt his left hamstring while going for an offensive rebound midway through the fourth quarter. He tried to play through the discomfort but eventually left the game and did not return.

Fans were frustrated to see another name added to the league’s growing injury list and had plenty to say on social media. Here’s a look at some of the reactions.

“C’mon man, this is an epidemic at this point,” a fan said on X.

The injury is a major blow for both Morant and the team. He had just started getting comfortable with his new team, and Portland will now be without a key guard and a locker-room leader for quite some time.

Morant played 23 minutes against Memphis, scoring 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting. It was also the Trail Blazers’ first loss of the season after starting with a three-game winning streak.

What Does Ja Morant’s Injury Mean for Scoot Henderson?

It’s never good to see a player go down, but in the cutthroat NBA, every opportunity counts. Losing Morant for at least four weeks is bad news for Portland, but it could quietly benefit a certain player: Scoot Henderson.

The fourth-year guard has seen his role shrink significantly since Morant arrived. With him now sidelined for quite some time, Henderson could get more opportunities to either solidify his place in Portland’s lineup or showcase himself for a potential trade.

It won’t be easy, though. Henderson has been coming off the bench, averaging 7.5 points in 18.8 minutes per game, down from 24.9 minutes last season. In his most recent game against Memphis, he played just 19 minutes and scored nine points on 3-of-8 shooting. He also went 1-of-5 from beyond the arc, taking his 3-point shooting to just 2-of-17 through four games.

Henderson’s problem is that, whether Morant is in the lineup or not, he hasn’t been able to seize the moment and establish himself as a reliable day-to-day option. That’s why many fans believe he needs a fresh start with another team. It will be interesting to see how much he can make of the opportunity over the next four weeks.