MIAMI – Jaylen Wells saw the clear signs a few days ago at practice.
That’s when the transition was undeniable.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had gradually increased his workload from initially walking through plays during breaks in full-speed practice sessions to stepping into the fold and flexing his strengths. At that point, it was only a matter of time before the Grizzlies’ big man would be back.
“His presence on the floor was definitely felt,” Wells recalled from the final days of Jackson’s ramping up process. “Defensively, offensively, his classic lefty floater. He was killing it. I was like, ‘Yeah, he’s back. He’s ready.”
Clearance officially came this week, when Jackson completed his return from July toe surgery by making his preseason debut Wednesday in Greensboro, N.C. against the Hornets.
During a performance that revealed stretches of dominance as well as evidence of rust, Jackson finished with 17 points, two rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot in 22 minutes. His return to the lineup came about two weeks ahead of schedule, with the Grizzlies projecting on Sept. 26 that Jackson would be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks.
Jackson suggested at his youth basketball camp in Memphis last month that he was progressing ahead of schedule and fans would be happy with his potential return date.
Turns out, the two-time NBA All-Star and 2023 league defensive player of the year as right on point. Although the Grizzlies’ defensive struggles continued in Wednesday’s 145-116 loss that dropped them to 0-4 in the preseason, the hope is Jackson’s presence will spark improvement.
The Grizzlies get their final tune-up in Friday’s exhibition finale against the Heat before shifting focus to Wednesday’s regular season opener against the Pelicans at FedExForum.
“Every day is another chance to build on things, and that’s what I’m doing,” Jackson told Grind City Media. “It’s good to be back out there.”
Jackson said he hasn’t had any issues throughout his rehab process. He joked the surgically repaired toe “doesn’t exist” because he’s put the injury and recovery out of his mind.
The goal now is to rekindle the production he’s shown in recent seasons. Two years ago, Jackson was named the NBA’s top defender. Last season, he delivered one of his most efficient offensive campaigns in averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals in 74 games.
Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo commended Jackson and the performance/medical staff for working diligently the past four months to get him on track to start the season on time.
“He’s weeks ahead of schedule right now, and that’s a testament to the great work of everyone as well as (Jackson’s) drive and determination,” Iisalo said of Jackson, who signed a four-year max contract extension over the summer. “To have that drive to come back in the preseason to help this team, I’m proud of that overall. We wanted to see how he’d respond to the training this week, and everything’s gone really well. Now, it’s incorporating him into the games.”
Jackson started Wednesday in his usual spot at power forward, surrounded by center Jock Landale, small forward Jaylen Wells and guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Javon Small. The Grizzlies have been without superstar point guard Ja Morant throughout the preseason as he recovers from a sprained ankle.
Morant practiced with the team Tuesday and went through another extensive workout before Wednesday’s game. It’s unclear if Morant will be available Friday against Miami, but he recently hinted at being ready by the season opener.
Getting both marquee players on the court together would provide a huge boost for the Grizzlies, who haven’t been able to establish much continuity. Memphis has trailed by significant deficits in all four preseason games, including a 29-point hole on Wednesday.
Iisalo acknowledged that the injuries and absences have made it difficult to play at the offensive pace and with the defensive tenacity that were prioritized in camp. Several players have had to play out of position or in roles they wouldn’t otherwise be assigned with a healthier roster.
But seeing Jackson back in the fold should recalibrate things quickly.
“He’s obviously a critical piece for us, one of the premier two-way bigs in the NBA, one of the best rim protectors, and that will help us a lot,” Iisalo insisted. “Those are the next steps – finding the right loading process. You see he still doesn’t have his full step back, but he’s doing a great job. And when he and Jock were together, we were more solid.”
Among the bright spots in Jackson’s preseason debut was the inside-outside game with Landale, who will fill in at center until Zach Edey’s expected return next month from ankle surgery rehab. Jackson and Landale were a combined 7-for-14 on 3-pointers Wednesday and tallied 29 points.
“It’s something we’ve stressed – one guy’s always low, putting pressure on the rim and the other guy is high doing their thing from the outside,” Landale explained. “It’s very interchangeable, very fluid. It’s a relationship that’s a work in progress. Once we nail some thigs down defensively and on the boards, which is all about heart, we’ll see some results start falling our way.”
Jackson is eager to see progress but also must balance patience along the way.
He scored the Grizzlies first basket on a lefty hook in the lane and made four of his first five shots from the field. Then came a cold stretch when he missed nine of his next 10, including a couple of baseline hooks that rolled off the rim and jumpers that also rimmed out.
“It was just a balance of everything,” said Jackson, who fired up 20 shots in his 22 minutes. “I was trying a lot of things, off the dribble, in the post. Even the shots I missed, I felt really good about. I just found it weird I missed them. But that’s all part of the process.”
Improving on the defensive end is the next priority for Jackson and the team.
After surrendering 68 points in the paint Saturday to the Hawks, the Grizzlies allowed 58 in the lane against the Hornets. Jackson vows to take a leadership role in fixing that issue.
“I have to make a lot more strides in that,” Jackson insisted. “I can’t just be out there. I need to be a lot more effective and change the game a little bit. There were too many blow-bys and drives, and (problems) on the boards. If I help clean that up, it’ll all come together.”
Now that the Grizzlies’ primary clean-up man is back, it should all come together soon.