Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Still not close to full strength
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Morant (shoulder) will be fully cleared for basketball activities halfway through the offseason, Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian reports.
Morant underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder in mid-January and remains on track with his rehab. Due to a suspension to start the campaign and then the season-ending procedure, the All-Star point guard appeared in just nine games in 2023-24 and averaged 25.1 points, 8.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals-plus-blocks in 35.3 minutes. While injuries decimated Memphis' entire roster all campaign, it doesn't sound like those issues will linger and impact 2024-25.
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Grizzlies' Desmond Bane: Expected to have healthy offseason
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Bane (back) will be sidelined for a few more weeks but is expected to have a healthy summer, Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian reports.
Bane averaged 24.7 points, 5.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 34.9 minutes over his first 36 appearances of 2023-24 before injuries derailed his campaign. An ankle injury sidelined Bane from mid-January to mid-March, and he appeared in only five of the ensuing six games before a back issue cost him the final nine contests of the regular season. It was a lost season for the Grizzlies as a whole, as Ja Morant (suspension/shoulder), Marcus Smart (finger/foot) and others also missed extended periods. However, it sounds like the Grizzlies will have a healthy offseason, which bodes well for their chances of bouncing back in 2024-25.
Williams (knee) is out for Sunday's game against the Nuggets.
Williams missed each of Memphis' final 18 games, but his absence is not a surprise, as the Grizzlies decided to essentially shut down their roster a few weeks ago. Williams ends his second year in The Association with averages of 10.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.9 steals across 27.6 minutes per game in 52 appearances (33 starts).
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Grizzlies' Lamar Stevens: Won't suit up Sunday
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Stevens (groin) will not play Sunday against the Nuggets.
Stevens will sit out for a second straight game to end his regular season. He saw ample playing time for the Grizzlies down the stretch due to several injuries on the roster, and he made the most of his opportunities. In 19 appearances, Stevens averaged 11.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks and 0.6 three-pointers.
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Grizzlies' Yuta Watanabe: Ruled out for season finale
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Watanabe (personal) is out for Sunday's game against the Nuggets.
Watanabe missed the Grizzlies' final 22 games of the season due to a personal issue. He ended the season with averages of 3.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game across 34 appearances between the Suns and Grizzlies.
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Grizzlies' Brandon Clarke: Out for season finale Sunday
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Clarke (hand) is out for Sunday's game against the Nuggets.
Clarke spent most of the season recovering from an Achilles injury, and while he made his season debut on March 27, he won't play in the final game of the campaign due to a contusion. The Grizzlies won't risk Clarke in a meaningless game, as the team has been out of playoff contention for quite some time now. Clarke ends the 2023-24 season with averages of 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks across 22.3 minutes per game in six appearances (one start).
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Grizzlies' Marcus Smart: Confirmed out for Sunday
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Smart (finger) won't play Sunday against the Nuggets.
Smart ruptured the proximal interphalangeal joint central slip on his right hand and has been sidelined since Jan. 9. The Grizzlies were supposed to provide an update after his re-evaluation date, which was scheduled for weeks ago, but it never came. He finished the campaign with averages of 14.5 points, 4.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 three-pointers and 2.1 steals in 30.3 minutes per game over just 20 appearances.
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Grizzlies' John Konchar: Sitting out Sunday
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Konchar (heel) will not play Sunday against Memphis.
Konchar ended up missing 10 games in a row to close out the season. He was a sporadic part of the rotation this campaign, finishing with averages of 4.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.9 steals.
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Grizzlies' Santi Aldama: Ruled out for Sunday
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Aldama (foot) is out for Sunday's game against the Nuggets.
Aldama will end the season on the sidelines, though that's not surprising given the Grizzlies essentially decided to shut down most of their roster in the final two weeks of the campaign. Aldama will end the 2023-24 season with averages of 10.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists across 26.5 minutes per game.
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Grizzlies' Luke Kennard: Out again Sunday
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Kennard (knee) will not play Sunday against the Nuggets.
Kennard will miss his sixth game in a row Sunday, and that will be the end of his regular season. The sharpshooter had all sorts of problems with his left knee, limiting him to 39 total appearances. He finished the campaign with averages of 11.0 points, 3.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 three-pointers.
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Grizzlies' Desmond Bane: Won't suit up Sunday
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Bane (back) won't play Sunday against the Nuggets.
As expected, Bane's regular season is officially over. His campaign was riddled with injuries, as he made just 42 appearances. He finished with averages of 23.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 3.3 three-pointers.
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Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson: Confirmed out for Sunday
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Jackson (quadriceps) won't play Sunday against the Nuggets, as expected.
Memphis' playoff hopes were over several weeks ago, so the Grizzlies essentially shut down most of their roster. Jackson ended up making 66 appearances this season, posting averages of 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 blocks, 1.2 steals and 1.8 three-pointers while shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 32.0 percent from beyond the arc and 80.8 percent from the line.
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Grizzlies' Jake LaRavia: Excels again Friday
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LaRavia registered 28 points (7-13 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 11-11 FT), three rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal over 43 minutes during Friday's 123-120 loss to the Lakers.
LaRavia played 43 minutes for the shorthanded Grizzlies, marking the highest total of his career. He's played at least 40 minutes in back-to-back contests and has averaged 30.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals over that span. LaRavia's opportunities have come as the team has been decimated by injuries, but he's performing at a level that could help him solidify a significant role in Memphis' rotation next season.
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Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen: Has career-best game vs. Lakers
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Pippen totaled 28 points (12-22 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, six assists and four steals over 30 minutes during Friday's 123-120 loss to the Lakers.
Pippen came into the NBA on a two-way deal with the Lakers in 2022 before joining the Grizzlies on a two-way contract this January. Friday's performance against his former squad included a career-best scoring total along with four steals, which tied his career-high mark. Pippen has blossomed over his past five contests, averaging 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 3.2 steals.
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Grizzlies' GG Jackson: Pours in 31 points Friday
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Jackson chipped in 31 points (12-23 FG, 7-13 3Pt, 0-2 FT), one rebound, one assist and three steals across 40 minutes during Friday's 123-120 loss to the Lakers.
Jackson led Memphis in scoring while putting up an efficient 7-for-13 line from beyond the arc. The seven triples tied his career-high mark, which he initially established March 20 against the Warriors. As has typically been the case for Jackson, his scoring came with little production as a rebounder or distributor, though he did tie his career-best total with three thefts in Friday's defeat.
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Grizzlies' Jordan Goodwin: Racks up 17 boards in loss
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Goodwin registered 23 points (7-23 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 17 rebounds, three assists and four steals over 37 minutes during Friday's 123-120 loss to the Lakers.
Goodwin blew past his previous career best with 19 rebounds the last time he suited up Tuesday's versus San Antonio, and he nearly matched that mark Friday against the Lakers. He's notched double-digit rebounds in five of his past seven games, providing surprising production on the boards given his role as a 6-foot-3 point guard. In addition, Goodwin's 23 points Friday were a career high, and he's certainly making a case to be a big part of the Grizzlies' rotation next year after working on a two-way contract during the latter portion of the current campaign.
