Memphis Grizzlies Rumors

Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Brunson Named Players Of Week

December 22nd, 2025 at 2:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson were named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

This marks the second career Player of the Week award for Jackson, who averaged 27.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.7 blocks in 32.7 minutes per game and led Memphis to a 2-1 record during the week of December 15-21.

Jackson recorded a season-high 31 points and five blocks in the Grizzlies’ 121-103 road win last Monday against the Clippers and followed that with 28 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and three blocks in Memphis’ 116-110 road victory on Wednesday against Minnesota.

Brunson racked up 31.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game as the Knicks went 2-1 after their NBA Cup triumph. He had 47 points in the Knicks’ 132-125 win over Miami on Sunday.

It’s the second major individual award for Brunson over the past week. He was also named the MVP of the NBA Cup. He also becomes the first two-time Eastern Conference Player of the Week this season, having also earned the honor on December 1.

Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers), Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Keyonte George (Jazz), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) were the other nominees for the Western Conference Player of the Week award.

Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Derrick White (Celtics) were the other nominees in the East.

Grizzlies Forward Brandon Clarke Sidelined At Least Three Weeks

December 22nd, 2025 at 12:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Brandon Clarke will once again be sidelined for an extended period. The Grizzlies forward has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right calf strain, according to the team’s PR staff (Twitter link). Clarke will be reevaluated in approximately three weeks.

Clarke’s latest injury occurred in the first quarter of Memphis’ game against Washington on Saturday. Clarke just returned to action last week after rehabbing from right knee surgery. He played 17 minutes against Minnesota in his season debut on Wednesday before lasting just four minutes on Saturday.

Clarke underwent an arthroscopic procedure in September to address synovitis in his right knee after having his 2024/25 season cut short due to a PCL sprain in that same knee. The 29-year-old Canadian hadn’t suited up for a game since March 19 until his return last week.

He also suffered an Achilles tear in March 2023, which ended his ’22/23 campaign prematurely and limited him to just six outings in ’23/24.

Clarke is in the third season of a four-year contract that pays him $12.5MM annually.

Without Clarke, the Grizzlies will continue to rely on Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, Santi Aldama and Olivier-Maxence Prosper up front. Memphis also signed Christian Koloko on a 10-day hardship contract on Monday to provide depth.

Grizzlies Sign Christian Koloko To 10-Day Hardship Contract

December 22nd, 2025 at 10:25am CST by Arthur Hill

10:25 am: The signing is official, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter).

9:54 am: The Grizzlies will sign center Christian Koloko to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Koloko, 25, began the season on a two-way deal with the Lakers, but he was waived in late November to create an opening for the team to add Drew Timme. Koloko made two brief appearances before the move, with no points and one rebound in six total minutes.

The Austin Spurs acquired his G League rights last week, claiming him off the waiver wire. He has played in four total G League games this season, two with Austin and two with the South Bay Lakers.

Koloko was selected with the 33rd pick in the 2022 draft and had a strong rookie season with Toronto. However, a blood clot issue prevented him from playing in 2023/24 and he was released in January of that season. The Lakers signed him to a two-way contract in July 2024, and he was medically cleared to resume his career by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel three months later.

He has appeared in 97 total NBA games with career averages of 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per night.

The Grizzlies qualify for the hardship exception because of massive injury issues. Eight players are listed as unavailable for Monday’s game at Oklahoma City, including four on standard contracts – Zach Edey, Ty Jerome, John Konchar, and Scotty Pippen Jr. – who have missed three or more consecutive games and are expected to remain out for at least two more weeks.

And-Ones: European League, Morant, FIBA Hall Of Fame, Lewis

December 22nd, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA and FIBA will begin talking to prospective teams and ownership groups in January in their next move toward forming a new European basketball league, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. The organizations issued a press release Monday morning announcing their intentions.

Along with permanent spots in the league, teams are being promised “a merit-based pathway” to qualify on an annual basis either through FIBA’s Basketball Champions League or an end-of-season qualifying tournament. The league plans to align its schedule with domestic league and national team schedules, allowing players to appear in international tournaments without conflict.

The release also promises that the NBA and FIBA will devote financial support to the development of “Europe’s basketball ecosystem.” That includes domestic leagues, club team academies and the existing programs operated by the NBA and FIBA to develop players, coaches and game officials.

“Our conversations with various stakeholders in Europe have reinforced our belief that an enormous opportunity exists around the creation of a new league on the continent,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “Together with FIBA, we look forward to engaging prospective clubs and ownership groups that share our vision for the game’s potential in Europe.”

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is investing in European basketball through his Catch 12 company, according to Michele Nespoli of Sportando. Morant has purchased a stake in EuroStep Ventures, a holding company that controls the Levallois Metropolitans. The French team received tremendous international exposure due to Victor Wembanyama before he entered the NBA draft.
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is part of FIBA’s 2026 Hall of Fame class, which includes seven players and one coach, Eurohoops relays. Hedo Turkoglu and Wang Zhizhi are other members of the class with NBA ties, while Sue Bird was a star in the WNBA. The induction ceremony will take place April 21 in Berlin, Germany.
Referee Eric Lewis was reinstated this week as a G League official, possibly giving him a path back to the NBA, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN. Lewis retired suddenly in 2023 after violating the NBA’s social media policy by having a Twitter burner account. The account, which was deleted, frequently responded to negative posts about Lewis and other officials. “I got chill bumps right now thinking about it,” Lewis said. “I’m excited about earning people’s trust back, getting back to the work and getting back to the game. What was always the plan when this came about was trying to get back to the NBA.”

Injury Notes: Markkanen, Davis, Lakers, Grizzlies, Mann

December 19th, 2025 at 11:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is likely to miss his second straight game on Saturday vs. Orlando, with Utah officially listing him as doubtful due to right groin injury management (hat tip to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune).

The 28-year-old is off to a strong start to the 2025/26 campaign, averaging a career-high 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal on .469/.352/.893 shooting through 24 games (35.3 minutes per contest). Second-year big man Kyle Filipowski started Thursday’s loss to the Lakers with Markkanen out.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks big man Anthony Davis battled through an illness and a left calf contusion in Thursday’s overtime victory over Detroit, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “Still feel under the weather,” said Davis, who finished with 15 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks in 37 minutes. “I actually threw up twice during the game, but I’m just trying to compete. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win. Just leaving it all on the floor.” Davis was returning from a one-game absence due to the calf issue.
The Lakers will continue to be without starters Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness) for Saturday’s contest at the Clippers, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic. Forward Rui Hachimura is questionable to suit up due to right groin soreness.
An eye-popping nine Grizzlies will be unavailable for Saturday’s game in Washington, the team announced (via Twitter). A pair of two-way players (GG Jackson II and Jahmai Mashack) are on a G League assignment, but the other seven players — including Ja Morant (left ankle sprain) and Vince Williams Jr. (left knee soreness) — are out due to injuries.
Hornets guard Tre Mann could return to action on Saturday in Detroit, having been listed as probable to suit up (Twitter link via the team). Mann has missed the past seven games, with his most recent injury designation being a right knee bone bruise. Pat Connaughton (right calf strain) is questionable for Charlotte, while Collin Sexton is doubtful as he continues to deal with a left quad strain.

Scotto’s Latest: Markkanen, Hornets, Murphy, Walker, Kuminga, More

December 18th, 2025 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

Utah will send its 2026 first-round pick to Oklahoma City if it lands outside the top eight, and if the season ended today, the 10-15 Jazz would have the NBA’s 10th-worst record, making their first-rounder likely to change hands. Given that context, executives around the league are wondering if Utah’s front office will be active on the trade market in the hopes of weakening the roster in the short term and ensuring the club keeps that pick, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

However, according to Scotto, the Jazz continue to signal that they want to build around forward Lauri Markkanen, despite trade interest in the star forward. In the past, rival execs have viewed the Pistons, Spurs, and Grizzlies as potential suitors for Markkanen if he’s made available, Scotto notes.

As for Utah’s plans beyond this season, the team hopes to use its 2026 cap room to improve its roster, either via free agency or the trade market, Scotto writes. Retaining Walker Kessler still appears to be a priority too — the Jazz turned down a trade offer for Kessler from the Lakers similar to the one L.A. made for Mark Williams, sources tell HoopsHype. The Jazz could carry a cap hold of about $14.6MM for Kessler next summer before going over the cap to re-sign him at a starting salary higher than that.

Here’s more from Scotto:

The Hornets are hoping to get an extended look at their roster with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Miles Bridges all healthy and available. Still, Scotto hears that Miller’s inconsistent availability has executives around the NBA wondering if the former No. 2 overall pick might not be as untouchable in trade discussions as he once was.
The Warriors and Trail Blazers are among the teams who are high on Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, but rival executives believe Golden State would prioritize making a run at Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo before giving up significant assets to land Murphy, Scotto writes. There’s also still plenty of skepticism that New Orleans would part with Murphy at all, with some execs speculating that it might take a package similar to what Memphis got for Desmond Bane.
Following up on his previous report stating that the Pacers are among the teams with interest in Keon Ellis, Scotto notes that Indiana forward Jarace Walker came up in trade discussions with the Kings. However, Scotto cautions that it’s unclear which team brought up Walker’s name in those talks that he describes as “exploratory.”
Checking in on Jonathan Kuminga, Scotto says the Kings continue to monitor the Warriors forward, but confirms that the Suns‘ interest level has decreased and that the Nets were never all that interested. The Pelicans have also been linked to Kuminga in the past, but it’s unclear whether they have interest now, Scotto adds.
Partizan Belgrade, the Serbian team recently linked to Malik Beasley, has also expressed interest in free agent point guard Cameron Payne, sources tell HoopsHype. As for Beasley, he has also drawn interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the EuroLeague, as well as the Chinese Basketball Association teams Liaoning, Guangdong, and Shanxi, per Scotto.

Grizzlies Notes: Aldama, Morant, Clarke, Spencer, Edey

December 17th, 2025 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Mark Medina of EssentiallySports, Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama discussed a wide range of topics, including his impressions of head coach Tuomas Iisalo, his reaction to the disagreement earlier in the season between teammate Ja Morant and the coaching staff, and his perspective on a recent dust-up with Draymond Green.

Aldama also admitted that when he signed a new three-year contract with the Grizzlies over the summer, he didn’t expect to be playing center as much as he’s had to this fall, with big men Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke both missing extensive time due to injuries.

“It’s not easy,” Aldama said. “… But the group needed me to do it. It’s been hard to adjust at times. But it’s also been seamless because of the work we’ve put in and I’ve been with Jaren (Jackson Jr.) my whole life. I’ve played the four, and he’s played the five. Now we’ve kind of switched it up. But it’s about having honest conversations and seeing where I can help the group at all times. With being one of the most veteran guys on the team and having been here as one of the longest, it’s important for me to be that voice and constant amid the chaos.”

Aldama went on to speak specifically about some of the adjustments he’s had to make in that new role, crediting Morant for helping him adapt.

“The challenge is mainly with the way we run the floor,” Aldama said. “I’m used to getting behind and starting in transition for us. But as a five, you’re more in the middle of the court and trying to set some screens and find maybe a pop, a roll or a cut to get the corners open. As a four, you’re more playing off closeouts.

“Where my advantage lies on offense has been different. But I’ve been talking with guys that play that position. I’ve been talking to Ja. He’s been great for us there. Obviously, my advantage is different than his. But he understands the spacing.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

After initially being listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. Minnesota, Morant has been downgraded to doubtful due to his left ankle sprain, according to the team (Twitter link). The star point guard sustained the injury on Monday in his second game back from a calf strain.
Clarke, who has yet to play this season while he recovers from right knee surgery, has been listed as questionable to make his season debut on Wednesday, per the Grizzlies (Twitter link). Injuries have limited the 29-year-old to just 70 total appearances since the start of the 2023/24 season, but he has been an effective role player in Memphis’ frontcourt when healthy.
Like his brother Pat Spencer of the Warriors, Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer will miss his team’s next game for personal reasons, having been ruled out on Wednesday, according to the injury report. Cam has played a key role for Memphis of late, averaging 16.9 points and 5.2 assists per game with an incredible 63.6% three-point percentage in his past 10 outings.
Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal spoke to a pair of doctors about Edey’s ankle injury, which will sideline him into the new year. As Cole writes, Edey’s offseason ankle surgery addressed ligaments and soft tissue, whereas his recent stress reaction affects the bone in that ankle, so it’s not an aggravation of the same injury, though there’s presumably a connection. “It’s most likely related to the rehab, where he may have ramped up too quick,” orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon Kenneth Jung said. “Basically, the stress in the bone means the load up on the bone is quicker than the bone can keep up with.” Neither specialist who talked to Cole anticipates that the injury will be a long-term problem for Edey. “I would become more concerned if it’s recurrent, or the bone just doesn’t respond and he needs more time ramping up,” Jung said. “If he recovers and gets back to play, then I don’t think it’s an issue.”

Injury Notes: Morant, Clarke, Gafford, LaVine, Green

December 16th, 2025 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

It was another case of one step forward, one step back on Monday for the injury-plagued Grizzlies, who recently had star point guard Ja Morant return from a calf injury at the same time center Zach Edey was ruled out for four weeks due to an ankle issue.

The Grizzlies registered an impressive 18-point road win over the Clippers on Monday, but Morant exited the game with less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after turning his left ankle on a drive to the basket (video links). According to Mark Medina (Twitter link), head coach Tuomas Iisalo said after the game that Morant “tweaked” his ankle and would undergo further evaluation, adding that he’s hopeful that the injury isn’t significant.

While the Grizzlies and their fans await an update on Morant, there’s positive news on another injured player. Big man Brandon Clarke, who has yet to play this season after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee in September, was initially upgraded to doubtful for Monday’s game before being ruled out. Clarke is trending toward making his return as soon as Wednesday in Minnesota, tweets Michael Wallace of Grind City Media.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

With Dereck Lively II out for the season, the Mavericks figure to lean more heavily on center Daniel Gafford, but Gafford has been dealing with an injury of his own, having repeatedly aggravated a right ankle sprain, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Gafford was able to play on Monday after a three-game absence, but was limited to 13 minutes in an overtime loss for a Mavs team also missing Anthony Davis (left calf contusion). “It’s a bit of a balanced scale,” Gafford said before returning on Monday. “I want to be out there on the floor as much as I can. But at the same time, you have to listen to your body, especially through the course of a season. I just want to come back and be able to do the things I’m able to do out there on the floor and make an impact. I don’t want to be out there being a liability and hurting the team more than helping them.”
After missing last Thursday’s game vs. Denver due to a thumb injury, Kings guard Zach LaVine returned on Sunday in Minnesota, but played just 16 minutes before injuring his left ankle and exiting the game. As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes, LaVine came out onto the court during halftime warmups after sustaining the injury in the second quarter, but hobbled off the floor and was ruled out for the rest of the night shortly thereafter. It’s unclear if the banged-up guard will miss additional time.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott admitted that the team is playing it “pretty safe” with Jalen Green‘s right hamstring strain after he aggravated the injury in early November, two games into his season. “We’ve got to be in the mindset that this is a young athlete that is super valuable,” Ott said, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “We’re going to take it day-by-day, week-by-week, but he has made really, really good progress.” Green has been doing some on-court work, according to Ott. A previous report indicated the Suns guard is trending toward a return shortly after Christmas.

Grizzlies’ Konchar Undergoes Thumb Surgery, Out At Least 3 Weeks

December 15th, 2025 at 6:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Grizzlies wing John Konchar has undergone successful surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left thumb, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

According to the Grizzlies, Konchar sustained the injury on December 7 vs. Portland, a game in which he recorded two points, three rebounds and three steals in 17 minutes during a 23-point victory. The 29-year-old guard/forward is expected to make a full recovery and will be checked out again in about three weeks, per the team.

Memphis first announced that Konchar would require a procedure for the UCL tear on Dec. 11, when the Grizzlies said starting center Zach Edey would be out at least four weeks. They didn’t provide a return timeline for Konchar at the time, and still haven’t beyond stating the seven-year veteran will miss a minimum of three weeks.

Konchar has played a fairly modest role for Memphis this season, averaging 3.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.2 APG and 0.9 SPG in 13.0 MPG across 22 appearances off the bench. While Konchar isn’t much of a scoring threat, he generally makes sound decisions on offense (career assist-to-turnover ratio of 3-to-1), is an above average rebounder for his position, and is a solid defender.

It’s a small sample size, but Konchar has some of the best on/off numbers on the team.

A former undrafted free agent, Konchar has spent his entire NBA career with the Grizzlies. He’s earning about $6.2MM this season and has an identical cap hold for 2026/27.

The Grizzlies have been hit very hard by injuries once again this season, with several players missing extended time, including Brandon Clarke (knee surgery), Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe surgery) and Ty Jerome (calf strain), all of whom have yet to play ’25/26.

Ja Morant Takes Charge Of Offense In Return

December 15th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant had 21 points and 10 assists as he returned to the court Friday night, per Clay Bailey of The Associated Press. Morant felt a need to take charge of the offense after missing 10 games with a right calf strain, but he shot just 7-of-20 from the field and committed four turnovers in a little more than 25 minutes. “I was forced to get some shots up,” he said. “Some of them, I should have been to the free throw line. Some I missed. Some of them I made. I can’t change it. I just got to live with it.”