Ja Morant was sidelined for the Memphis-San Antonio rematch on Friday night because of a sore right foot, and the Grizzlies guard became ineligible for the NBA's postseason awards after missing his 18th game of the season.

The NBA requires players to participate in 65 games for selection to the All-NBA teams, MVP, and other awards.

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is no longer eligible for regular season NBA awards. Morant, who is out on Friday night due to right foot soreness, is missing his 18th game of the season. NBA players must play in at least 65 games to qualify for awards such as All-NBA status or the MVP award.

The 2025 NBA trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. ET. Trades are no longer permitted during the season after this point. The 2024-25 NBA season has already seen a few players on the move, including D’Angelo Russell and Dennis Schröder. Keep track of every official trade with our NBA.com Trade Tracker.

NBA execs weigh on the players not named Jimmy Butler who are likely to be traded, and why a member of LeBron James' inner circle is advising a multi-billion dollar hoops venture.

But with that said, it also does not rule out the possibility of Boston making some minor moves, which Bleacher Report cap expert Eric Pincus recently explained in an article surveying the NBA's potential trade options.

When the top two teams in the NBA square off, it's expected to be a marquee event. Suffice it to say, Thursday's matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers did not live up to the billing as OKC ran off to a 134-114 victory that wasn't nearly as close as even that lopsided score would indicate.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 134-114 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday in a matchup between the two teams with the NBA's best records.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his latest statement in an MVP-worthy season with another 40-point performance Thursday night