MikeCheck: Edey’s acclimation will be ‘a gradual process’ as Grizzlies address recent struggles
Michael WallaceBOSTON – With Zach Edey on the verge of returning from summer ankle surgery, the Grizzlies are planning to take a measured approach to acclimating the second-year center to the rotation.
Edey is expected to participate in Friday’s practice before the Grizzlies travel to Cleveland for the next stop on their four-game road swing. Barring a setback or precautionary delay, the 7-foot-4 NBA All-Rookie Team selection could make his season debut Saturday against the Cavaliers.
The Grizzlies upgraded Edey’s designation to doubtful on the team’s injury report ahead of Wednesday’s game in Boston but ultimately held him out of the 131-95 loss to the Celtics. Edey went through an extensive on-court workout at TD Garden an hour before the game, focusing primarily on low-post moves, footwork and conditioning with assistant coaches and trainers.
Typically, when a player for the Grizzlies is ramping up to return to action from injury rehab, his designation progresses from doubtful entering one game to questionable ahead of the following game. The questionable designation usually means the player would go through a pregame workout and is considered a “game-time decision” before ultimately being cleared to return.
In that sense, Edey would be trending toward questionable to play Saturday. After facing the Cavaliers, the Grizzlies (4-9) wraps up the four-game trip Tuesday against the Spurs.
Edey’s return should provide a significant boost for a struggling and injury-riddled Memphis team that has lost seven of its last eight games and has gotten punished inside the paint.
“He brings a lot,” Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo said of Edey, who blossomed late last season when Iisalo was initially promoted to interim coach in March. “He’s a tremendous finisher around the rim, and he also has a gravitational pull that forces defenders to have to help.”
The Grizzlies could also use some major help as they try to reverse their recent slide in a difficult stretch in the schedule. In the midst of playing nine of 11 games on the road, Memphis is coming off three erratic, lopsided losses to the Thunder, Knicks and Celtics.
That challenging stint culminated with Wednesday’s performance in Boston, where the Grizzlies trailed by as many as 38 points, were outrebounded 58-41 and allowed 21 made 3-pointers. The Celtics converted 18 offensive rebounds into 34 second-chance points, which came a night after the Knicks scored 34 points directly off the Grizzlies’ 22 turnovers.
Iisalo expressed disappointment with the team’s lack of execution and attention to detail.
“The Celtics were things we aspire to be: faster than the other team, harder working, better organized,” Iisalo pointed out. “That’s a tough pill to swallow as a coach, and I think it should be for all of our guys. You can lose games – that’s part of basketball. But to go away from your identity or the things that we know produce wins is something we must correct right away.”
Those corrections have been difficult to make with limited practice time during a game-heavy schedule in addition to limited bodies available on a nightly basis. The encouraging signs surrounding Edey’s looming return were tempered some by Wednesday’s absence of star point guard Ja Morant, who tweaked his right ankle Tuesday against the Knicks and sat out in Boston.
Morant missed all five preseason games with a left ankle sprain and has had an uneven start to the season. The two-time All Star is averaging 18.9 points and 8.1 assists but has struggled, shooting just 35.2-percent from the field and ranking third in the NBA in total turnovers.
“I wouldn’t say I’m too far (off),” Morant said of seeking a rhythm. “It’s really just fatigue a lot, a lot of buildup, constantly trying to get things installed with some of the stuff. Standing on the side in the preseason is hard. For me, it’s definitely different. They run things differently when I’m not on the floor. So, when I got back, it’s just defining my spots when I’m on the floor. This is really my first time actually seeing where I’m going to get my shots. I don’t feel like this should be an excuse. I’m going to continue to play with confidence.”
Morant’s status for Saturday remains unclear but the Grizzlies will continue to be without guards Ty Jerome (calf strain), Scotty Pippen Jr (toe surgery) and Brandon Clarke (knee), who all have yet to play this season.
The absences of those key rotation players have deeply impacted the ability to ideally execute Iisalo’s system on both ends of the court. The Grizzlies rank in the bottom third of the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency through the first month of the regular season.
Players and coaches have acknowledged the difficulty of establishing chemistry and building continuity amid the rough start, but they also know they can’t lean on injuries as an excuse.
“It doesn’t matter,” Grizzlies power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. said. “We’ve had seasons when we weren’t whole and we figured it out. Everybody’s just got to be ready. Whoever is out there has to be ready to produce. Everyone has got to pitch in, that’s what it always is.”
Jackson Jr. believes getting Edey and others back will help turn things around.
“For their sake, I can’t wait because I know how tough it is to be doing rehab and out of the lineup,” Jackson Jr. continued. “That’s a different level. I understand what it feels like to not be out there. That’s a different type of pain when you can’t be out there or do anything about it.”
Edey underwent left ankle surgery on June 7 and has spent the summer, training camp, the preseason and the start of the regular season enduring a tedious rehab regimen. The No. 9 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Edey is coming off a breakout finish to his rookie season.
During an eight-game span leading into the playoffs, Edey shot 64.8-percent from the field and averaged 10.6 points, 15.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 32 minutes a game after Iisalo took over.
Although it’s easy to imagine what Edey could contribute to the Grizzlies, Iisalo also cautions not to expect too much too soon during the initial adjustment process.
“He’s a tremendous rebounder on both ends, which is a huge benefit,” Iisalo assessed. “He’s a high-level rim protector, and having both him and Jaren as our twin towers out there worked really well for us last year. He’s also a second-year player who had an operation five months ago. So, it will be a gradual process to bring him along and we just have to stay true to our process.”
Published on Nov 13, 2025
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