MEMPHIS – The Grizzlies are targeting a weekend season debut for power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. as he continues to progress from a hamstring injury sustained in training camp.
Jackson participated in parts of Monday’s practice, and coach Taylor Jenkins said afterward that the defensive anchor will miss Wednesday’s season opener to spend more time conditioning.
The Grizzlies open the season with a two-game trip to face the Jazz on Wednesday followed by the Rockets on Friday. Memphis then plays its home opener against the Magic on Saturday, which would give Jackson an additional four days to ramp up conditioning in scrimmages.
“His hamstring is in a good spot and he’s been progressing well, but we’ve been very mindful of his conditioning and we’re going to be a little bit more cautious,” Jenkins said Monday of Jackson. “He’ll clear a little more five-on-five (scrimmaging) in the next couple days, and we’re trending more toward the weekend for when he’ll return. So, it won’t be opening night.”
Jackson first tweaked his hamstring on Oct. 1 while driving to the basket during the team’s opening day of training camp in Nashville. Jenkins then said the team would take a cautious approach with Jackson throughout the preseason, and he was held out of all five exhibitions to recover from what was deemed a “low-level” strain.
The Grizzlies have worked throughout the month to install new concepts on offense and defense without the NBA’s 2023 Defensive Player of the Year on the court in preseason games. Jackson, however, has been visible in intense training sessions before preseason games and after practices while working out with teammates or trainers the past two weeks.
Teammates have seen Jackson make progress over the past month and are eager to see him back in the lineup when fully healthy.
“He’s been working and constantly here,” said veteran guard Marcus Smart, who participated with Jackson in a post-practice shooting drill Monday. “He’s been sidelined, but he’s been present, and that’s what you need from one of the core guys on this team. For him to still be coaching, still learning, standing tall with the team – it definitely helps. So when he does come back, he won’t miss a beat.”
The Grizzlies were hoping to enter the season putting much of the injury concerns from last season far behind them. Memphis endured one of the most injury-riddled seasons in NBA history, with several key players sidelined for much of that 27-55 campaign.
Jackson provided some of the bright spots during that difficult stretch as he posted career highs last season in scoring at 22.5 points per game. Power forward Santi Aldama filled in for Jackson during the preseason and could remain in Wednesday’s opening lineup alongside projected starters in Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart and rookie center Zach Edey.
The Grizzlies will be without other rotation players to open the season this week. Jenkins confirmed Monday that guard Vince Williams Jr is “still a couple of weeks away” from returning from a stress reaction in his leg that surfaced just before training camp.
Sharp-shooting guard Luke Kennard is considered week to week as he recovers from foot soreness that stemmed from the Oct. 14 preseason game at Indiana. Promising young forward GG Jackson is expected to be sidelined until early December as he recovers from foot surgery, and rookie guard Cam Spencer remains out with an ankle sprain.
Regardless of those absences, the Grizzlies were confident Monday that they will open the season with a connected group eager to get off to a productive start.
“I don’t think it’ll take us long at all,” Morant said of the Grizzlies quickly meshing. “We know where we’re a good team on the floor. We know where we’re elite, and that’s what we’re trying to be. We came in locked in today. We want to be here working, and that’s a great sight to see.”
Seeing Jackson Jr. back in the mix soon will be an even better one.