Murphy’s Law is genuine, as the Memphis Grizzlies can attest to. With Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games of the season, the Grizzlies were already behind early on in the season. The Grizzlies’ on-court performance significantly improved after Morant’s comeback. However, the Grizzlies lost Morant to a surgery-related shoulder ailment that ended the season soon after.

The Grizzlies are currently attempting to capitalize on the unfavorable hand they were dealt. The Grizzlies have requested a $12.4 million Disabled Player Exception (DPE) in response to Morant’s season-ending torn labrum, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

A team must provide confirmation to the league that an injured player won’t be able to play until June 15 of the same season in order for the league to issue them a DPE. This fits Ja Morant’s injury chronology without a doubt. Players recovering from torn labrum procedures often miss at least five months of action. Given the Grizzlies’ dismal season, there’s no way the franchise will be pushing him for a return, even in the remote event that they make it to the postseason by June.

The NBA does not approve every application for the DPE. The league rejected the New York Knicks’ application because of Mitchell Robinson’s ankle ailment. The Knicks denied their application because, unlike the Grizzlies star, Robinson might be able to return late in the regular season.
DPEs are limited to one-year contracts and player trades involving players with one year remaining on their contract. If the league approves the Grizzlies’ DPE application, they will have until March 10 to utilize it. Because of Steven Adams’ injury before to the start of the season, they were previously given a $6.3 million exception. It is not possible for teams to combine multiple DPEs in order to obtain a player who only makes one exception.