The Memphis Grizzlies have a clearer idea of when they’ll be at full strength after a string of injury updates Friday.
Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered a turf toe injury in early July but has now been cleared to begin ramping up basketball activities. The expectation is that he could be playing in four to six weeks.
Zach Edey underwent ankle surgery in June and has also been cleared to increase basketball activity. He’s been given a timeline of six to nine weeks. Rookie Cedric Coward is expected to be ready for training camp after rehabbing a left shoulder injury.
The only bad news came regarding power forward Brandon Clarke. He experienced right knee synovitis during recent offseason training which will require an arthroscopic procedure. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he will be re-evaluated in six weeks.
With all of this in mind, it means the Grizzlies won’t be at full strength until at least late November. That being said, the hope will be that Jackson Jr. can be ready to pair alongside Ja Morant within the first couple of weeks of the regular season.
Morant played 50 games last season.
Grizzlies’ Front Court Faces Challenges
Without both Edey and Clarke, Santi Aldama will be expected to do a lot out of the gate. It will be interesting to see if the Grizzlies prefer to keep him in a reserve role and start someone like Jock Landale instead.
Aldama played 65 games last season averaging 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds. He also shot 36.8 percent from three. What may discourage the Grizzlies from starting him is knowing that he only shot 22.6 percent from three in 16 starts.
The Grizzlies were a team that was absolutely decimated by injuries last season.
Memphis opens its season on Oct. 22 against the New Orleans Pelicans. They play six games in October and 15 games in November.
