Memphis Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will miss the rest of the 2025-26 campaign after undergoing surgery Thursday to repair a misaligned right pinky finger, the team announced.
The procedure had been scheduled since Wednesday, when Memphis disclosed that the 33-year-old veteran would need surgery. According to the club, Caldwell-Pope is expected to be fully cleared before training camp next fall.
Acquired from the Orlando Magic last offseason in the Desmond Bane trade, the two-time NBA champion appeared in 51 games for the Grizzlies this season, averaging 8.4 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 21.3 minutes. He shot 41.0% from the field, 31.6% from three-point range and 91.3% at the free-throw line.
Caldwell-Pope won titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023, establishing himself as a reliable 3-and-D contributor. However, after hitting 38.9% of his three-point attempts over the seven seasons prior to 2024-25, he has connected on just 33.3% of his long-range shots since.
Durability has been a hallmark of his career—until this year he had never missed more than eight games in a season. He holds a $21.6 million player option for 2026-27 and is widely expected to pick it up.
Grizzlies’ injury list keeps growing
Memphis has dealt with injuries all season and could have only nine players available for Friday’s game at Utah. Caldwell-Pope joins Ja Morant (left elbow UCL sprain), Santi Aldama (right knee injury management), Brandon Clarke (right calf strain), Zach Edey (left ankle stress reaction), Cedric Coward (hyperextended right knee), Ty Jerome (right calf injury management) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (left great toe injury management) on the sideline. Rookie guard Walter Clayton is listed as doubtful with a right calf contusion.
Head coach Tuomas Iisalo said Wednesday that Coward is showing progress, but Aldama’s status remains uncertain after the forward missed eight of the nine games leading into the All-Star break. “We want to get it to a baseline,” Iisalo said of Aldama’s knee, noting that recent attempts to play have caused repeated flare-ups.
The Grizzlies enter Utah shorthanded and searching for healthy bodies as the season winds down.
Source: Hoops Rumors
