With the 2025/26 NBA campaign about to begin, Memphis is confronting significant uncertainty in the middle after injuries sidelined three players who routinely log minutes at center.
In late September, the Grizzlies announced that 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., second-year big man Zach Edey and reserve Brandon Clarke were all expected to miss “several weeks.”
Current recovery timelines
• Jackson, recovering from July surgery to repair turf toe, was initially projected to return within one to three weeks. He appears ahead of schedule after logging more than 22 minutes in Wednesday’s preseason loss to Charlotte.
• Edey, rehabbing from offseason ankle surgery, could make his season debut at some point in November.
• Clarke is also targeting a return no earlier than November following an arthroscopic procedure that addressed synovitis in his right knee. The team indicated the issue was unrelated to the PCL sprain that ended his 2024/25 season.
Mailbag question turns to possible moves
In Hoops Rumors’ inaugural weekly Front Office mailbag, a reader asked whether Memphis will “stick with the status quo” or seek roster help, possibly via trade. One scenario floated involved the Southwest Division rival Rockets, who could be interested in backcourt depth after the injury to Fred VanVleet.
No transactions are imminent, and deals between two teams expected to contend in the same division are generally considered uncommon. For now, the Grizzlies appear prepared to rely on internal options while monitoring the health of their three injured big men.
Source: Hoops Rumors
