Jaren Jackson Jr. Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Wesley, Green, Bane, Rockets

December 13th, 2022 at 9:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs rookie guard Blake Wesley was assigned to the G League Austin Spurs on Tuesday for practice, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express News tweets. He’s expected to return to the NBA team on Wednesday. Wesley could soon be back in action after being sidelined since late October with an MCL sprain. At that time, he was expected to be out six-to-eight weeks, so it appears he’s progressing as scheduled.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Josh Green will miss the Mavericks‘ game against the Cavaliers on Wednesday, the team’s PR department tweets. Green hasn’t played since Friday due to a right elbow sprain. He did some dribbling drills and an individual shooting workout after practice on Tuesday, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News tweets.
The Grizzlies went 1-5 without Desmond Bane at one point but have now won six straight with the shooting guard sidelined by a toe injury. They’ve achieved that due to Ja Morant‘s playmaking, Dillon Brooks getting more minutes with the second unit and Jaren Jackson Jr. becoming a dominant force, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
The Rockets will have significant cap space after this season. How should they use it? The Athletic’s Kelly Iko and Danny Leroux explore that topic.

Injury Updates: Harden, Wiggins, Poole, Grizzlies, Jazz

December 5th, 2022 at 4:04pm CST by Rory Maher

James Harden is on track to return tonight for the Sixers as they face the Rockets in Houston, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The star guard has been sidelined for a month with a right foot strain, missing 14 games in the process.

“As much as I love basketball, I want to be out there to compete, especially for my teammates,” Harden said. “So this month has been patience, putting the work in, making sure I’m ready to come back and help this team get to where we can get to.”

Head coach Doc Rivers indicated on Sunday that Harden would be on a minutes restriction.

“Hopeful, he’ll be ready for [Monday],” Rivers said. “And if he is, he’ll be in a limited role. But it’s still better to have him than not, if we can have him.”

After winning four of five, the Sixers have dropped two straight games and currently hold a 12-11 record.

Here are some more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins will miss Monday’s contest against the Pacers with right adductor tightness, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Golden State guard Jordan Poole is questionable with an ankle injury, which he suffered on Saturday.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant is doubtful for tonight’s game vs. Miami due to left ankle soreness, Memphis announced (via Twitter). In addition to Morant, injury-replacement starter John Konchar (right toe soreness) and rookie forward Jake LaRavia (left foot soreness) are also doubtful, while All-Defensive big man Jaren Jackson Jr. has been ruled out on the second of a back-to-back for injury management (he had offseason foot surgery and just returned a few weeks ago). On a positive note, second-year wing Ziaire Williams, who has yet to play this season due to right patellar tendinitis, is listed as doubtful instead of out for the first time and was sent to the G League to practice ahead of Monday’s game (Twitter link). Head coach Taylor Jenkins recently said Williams was nearing a return.
Jazz veterans Mike Conley (knee) and Rudy Gay (hand) were full participants in Monday’s practice and both hope to play on Wednesday against Golden State, though they’re still experiencing some pain (All Twitter links via Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune). If Conley returns Wednesday, he’ll likely be on a minutes restriction, tweets ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The Jazz have missed Conley’s steadying influence, going just 2-6 over the past two weeks without their starting point guard.

Jaren Jackson To Start In Season Debut Tuesday

November 15th, 2022 at 6:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. will make his season debut and be in the starting lineup against New Orleans on Tuesday, the team’s PR department tweets.

He was listed as out for all previous games this season as he rehabbed from foot surgery. Jackson started playing in 5-on-5 situations during practice last week.

Jackson underwent surgery in late June for a stress fracture in his right foot. He was expected to miss four-to-six months at the time of the surgery, made steady progress in his recovery, and is now back in action four-and-a-half months after the procedure.

Jackson signed a four-year extension last fall. He’ll make $28,946,605 in the first year of the extension this season, though the salary numbers decline through the life of the deal.

His return is an obvious boost to a team already on the path to serious contention, especially with Desmond Bane expected to miss some time due to a toe injury. In 78 regular season games last season, Jackson averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

Southwest Injury Notes: Morant, Jackson Jr., Wesley, Langford, Tate, Bertans

November 14th, 2022 at 6:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ja Morant missed Sunday’s game against Washington with an ankle injury but it apparently will only be a one-game absence. The Grizzlies’ star guard is not on the injury report for Tuesday’s game against New Orleans, the team’s PR department tweets.

Meanwhile, Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. could make his season debut on Tuesday, as the forward is listed as questionable. Jackson has been rehabbing from offseason right foot surgery. Morant’s backcourt partner, Desmond Bane, is doubtful due to toe soreness.

We have more injury updates regarding the Southwest Division:

Spurs rookie guard Blake Wesley has begun his rehab from a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express News reports. Wesley is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks of action. “It’s going good,” he said. “I’ve started jogging, lifting and getting my routine back. I’m on the court, not moving, but getting up shots and taking it day by day.”
Spurs guard Romeo Langford has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols and will miss Monday’s game against Golden State, Orsborn tweets.
Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate has appeared in just three games due to an ankle injury and he’ll miss several more games. Coach Stephen Silas said Tate will be reevaluated in two or three weeks, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
Mavericks forward Davis Bertans, who has been sidelined with a right knee injury, participated in his first full practice on Monday since early in training camp, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Bertans is still listed out for the team’s game against the Clippers on Tuesday, the team’s PR department tweets.

Southwest Notes: Jackson Jr., Anderson, Doncic, Bassey

November 13th, 2022 at 5:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jaren Jackson Jr. is close to making his season debut for the Grizzlies, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Jackson was listed as doubtful to play against Washington on Sunday, then was declared out. He was listed as out for all previous games this season as he rehabbed from foot surgery. Jackson recently started playing in 5-on-5 situations during practice.

Memphis’ backcourt of Ja Morant (ankle) and Desmond Bane (toe) also missed the game, Ava Wallace of the Washington Post tweets.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Former Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson signed with the Timberwolves as a free agent this summer but the veteran forward is rooting for his former team when they’re not playing his current one, Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. “They’ve taken it to a whole new level. Those guys put the work and they work very hard so I’m always happy for them on their journey for sure, watching from afar,” Anderson said. “So it’s pretty awesome to see them do big things.”
Luka Doncic‘s usage rate is higher than any other player in the league, prompting Tim Cato of The Athletic to consider whether Doncic can keep going at this pace. The Mavericks star admitted after a loss this week, “I’m just feeling more tired on the court these last two games than anything,” and his shooting percentages in the fourth quarter are much lower than in any other quarter. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today explores the same topic, noting that Doncic is playing a career-high 36.9 MPG and has a usage rate of 39.14%, which would be the third-highest all-time behind Russell Westbrook’s 41.65% in 2016/17 and James Harden’s 40.47 in 2018/19.
With Zach Collins out approximately a month with a leg fracture, Charles Bassey has an opportunity to get rotation minutes at center for the Spurs, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News points out. “He kind of looks the part,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He doesn’t look like a deer in the headlights or anything like that.” Bassey signed a two-way contract with San Antonio in late October.

Southwest Notes: J. Smith, Fernando, Bassey, Jackson Jr.

November 9th, 2022 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets‘ Jabari Smith and the Magic’s Paolo Banchero had their first regular season matchup Monday since Orlando’s last-minute decision to bypass Smith and make Banchero the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Banchero has gotten off to a sizzling start and is the early favorite for Rookie of the Year, while Smith is still adjusting to the NBA.

“He just needs to feel comfortable on the floor so we’re figuring that out as we go along,” Houston coach Stephen Silas said. “Having him on the elbow not just as a scorer but as a passer, we’re going to explore that. He has shown the ability to shoot the pull-up in transition as well as give it up and trail in transition. His 3-point shooting really sets up the rest of his game. People are hugged up to him and they close out to him. So, he can get to his drives or his pull-ups or whatever off that.”

Smith, who is shooting just 30.3% from the field and 30% from three-point range, said he hasn’t been discouraged by the slow start. He admits the transition from college is difficult, but he’s focused on learning to play at the NBA level.

“I feel like it’s just confidence, just trusting my work, being aggressive, being real precise with what I’m doing, not hesitating, and just playing my game,” Smith said. “I feel like it’s going to come. I’m not worried at all.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Bruno Fernando, who was the Rockets‘ starting center for the first two games of the season, is working to return from left patellar tendinosis, Feigen adds in a separate story. The team estimates he may need two more weeks to get medically cleared. “Bruno is … moving around pretty well but he has to see the doctor when we get back (from the road trip),” Silas said. “We’re making sure that he’s OK to continue ramping up. He’s ramping up. Hopefully, he’ll be back sooner than later. Conditioning definitely is a part of it.” Silas couldn’t offer a timetable for Jae’Sean Tate, who has been limited to three games because of a sore ankle.
The injury to Zach Collins will create an opportunity for Charles Bassey, who signed a two-way deal with the Spurs last month, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Coach Gregg Popovich has been impressed with what he’s seen from Bassey so far. “He kind of looks the part, doesn’t look like a deer in the headlights or anything like that,” Popovich said (Twitter link). “He is out there playing. He is aggressive, a good defender, moved the ball well.”
Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. recently played five-on-five for the first time since offseason foot surgery, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “It’s kind of baby steps right now,” coach Taylor Jenkins said.

Grizzlies Notes: Jackson, Bane, Brooks

November 6th, 2022 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, began the team’s recent four-game road trip doing two-on-two workouts and has since advanced to three-on-three sessions, head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters, including Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

The Grizzlies and Jenkins are hopeful that Jackson will be able to take another step forward in his rehabilitation process during the current three-game homestand.

“Next week we may get into the five-on-five,” Jenkins said on Friday, adding that Jackson is making good progress and his conditioning is improving. “We’re just going to see how his body is responding.”

When Jackson underwent surgery, the Grizzlies announced he would be sidelined for approximately four-to-six months. It has been just over four months since the team set that timeline, so it appears the 23-year-old remains on track in his recovery.

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Desmond Bane appears to be developing into a legitimate play-maker and a star in his own right alongside Ja Morant, according to Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, who notes that the third-year swingman has been more productive so far (24.1 PPG) than a number of players who signed nine-figure rookie scale extensions during the offseason. Bane will be eligible for a new extension of his own during the 2023 offseason and appears likely to become Memphis’ second highest-paid player behind Morant, says Giannotto.
Dillon Brooks‘ presence in the Grizzlies’ lineup helps takes the pressure off players like Bane, who would otherwise have to deal with a more difficult defensive assignment, Cole writes for The Commercial Appeal. “Him being back really helps, for sure,” Bane said. “My game is predicated on me running around on offense, too. If I’m chasing the best player on defense, that means I’m running all night, and regardless of what type of shape you’re in, that’s going to wear on you.” Brooks is eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.
In case you missed it, the Grizzlies will be facing a shorthanded Wizards team on Sunday, as Bradley Beal has been ruled out after entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Injury Notes: Zion, Grizzlies, Raptors, Beasley, Bagley

October 17th, 2022 at 3:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans star Zion Williamson, who left a preseason game early last week with left ankle soreness and subsequently missed the finale, was a full participant in practice on Monday, per head coach Willie Green (Twitter link via ESPN’s Andrew Lopez). Green sounded non-committal about Williamson’s status for Wednesday’s regular season opener, but Williamson put speculation to rest by stating, “I’m playing Wednesday,” as Lopez tweets.

The 22-year-old former No. 1 overall pick looks to be in great shape for 2022/23 after missing all of last season with a broken foot, so hopefully the ankle issue is as minor as it seems.

Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said the team is hoping to get some 5-on-5 work in for Jaren Jackson Jr. “in the next couple of weeks,” tweets Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Jackson underwent foot surgery at the end of June and will miss the start of the regular season. Jenkins also said second-year wing Ziaire Williams missed practice on Monday with a non-COVID illness in addition to knee soreness, and his status for the season opener is up in the air (Twitter link via Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com).
Raptors big man Chris Boucher, who’s dealing with a hamstring injury, was able to practice today and the team is hopeful he’ll be ready for the opener on Wednesday, per head coach Nick Nurse (Twitter link courtesy of Sportsnet’s Michael Grange). Eric Koreen of The Athletic relays (via Twitter) that free agent addition Otto Porter (hamstring) did not participate in practice and Koreen expects him “to be out for a little bit.”
According to Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link), Jazz shooting guard Malik Beasley recently said his sprained left ankle feels “completely healed” he and expects to play in Wednesday’s season opener. Beasley was acquired from Minnesota this offseason in the Rudy Gobert deal.
Marvin Bagley III admits “it was a little scary” when he suffered a sprained MCL and bone bruise in his right knee during preseason last week, writes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscription required). “When I did it, all types of stuff was running through my mind,” Bagley said. “It was something I couldn’t have really prevented. It happened so fast. That feeling, I never felt it before. Getting up and not being able to put pressure on it, it was a little scary for me. God had his hands on me; had His arms around me, so that’s all I can ask for.” The big man added that he’s not going to rush the rehabilitation process and will only suit up for the Pistons when he’s ready, but he’s feeling progressively better every day.

Grizzlies Notes: Adams, Jackson, Brooks

October 10th, 2022 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

While young cornerstones like Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. rightly received much of the credit for the Grizzlies‘ impressive 56-win season in 2021/22, the work that veteran center Steven Adams did for the team on and off the court shouldn’t be overlooked.

As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, Adams is comfortable doing the “dirty work” like setting screens on offense and boxing out on defense, and teammates praised his vocal leadership even when he played a limited role in the postseason last spring.

“Culturally, just his personality is a perfect fit,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said. “He’s just a positive impact: on the floor, off the floor.”

The Grizzlies liked what Adams brought to the team enough to offer him a two-year, $25MM+ extension, which he accepted. As Cole relays, the veteran center explained why he chose to sign that deal rather than waiting to become a free agent next summer.

“I never thought that I would be in the league this long,” Adams said. “One of the good things is that it’s with an organization that’s doing something that I believe in. That’s what makes it really enjoyable. The guys, the culture. It’s not really like work.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

According to Cole, the Grizzlies gave Adams a list of things to work on in the offseason — those goals included increasing his scoring average (from last season’s 6.9 PPG) and adjusting his defensive game to be able to stay on the floor more often. “He’s excited about the challenges we have laid out for him to continue to be more aggressive on the offensive end, more versatile on the defense end,” Jenkins said.
Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s recovery from a right foot injury remains on track, Jenkins stated last week. The Grizzlies’ standout defensive big man hasn’t experienced any setbacks and has made progress since training camp got underway. “He’s starting to do a little more on the court,” Jenkins said, according to Cole. “No contact still. Full-court running, individual vitamins. He’s not just stationary; he’s doing a little bit more dynamic. A step in the right direction compared to how camp started.” The Grizzlies expect to have “more of an update” on Jackson – who was given a recovery timeline of four-to-six months at the end of June – around the start of the regular season, Jenkins added.
Despite Dillon Brooks‘ up-and-down shooting numbers in recent years, the Grizzlies have consistently played better when he’s on the floor, according to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (subscriber link), who writes that Brooks remains a puzzle to be solved as he enters a contract year. The veteran forward will be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 if he doesn’t sign a contract extension with Memphis before then.
In case you missed it, the Grizzlies made a series of minor roster moves on Monday morning. We have the full story here.

Grizzlies Notes: Crowder, Jackson Jr., PF, Clarke, Brooks, Adams, Green

September 26th, 2022 at 3:48pm CST by Rory Maher

Grizzlies star Ja Morant would like to reunite with former teammate Jae Crowder, who is sitting out training camp as the Suns seek a trade partner for the veteran forward. In reply to Crowder’s tweet about seeking work “where he is wanted..where he is needed,” Morant sent out a “back soon” emoji (Twitter link). In a separate tweet, Morant noted that Crowder hit a game-winning three in overtime to help him get his first NBA win.

Crowder didn’t shoot well in 45 games with Memphis in 2019/20, Morant’s rookie season, but he caught fire with Miami after being dealt away. Crowder has spent the past two seasons with Phoenix after signing a three-year, $29MM deal as a free agent in 2020. He’s making $10.2MM in ’22/23, the final season of his contract.

Here’s more from Memphis:

Starting power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent surgery to repair a right foot stress fracture at the end of June, with the team saying he’d miss four-to-six months at that time. At Monday’s Media Day, executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager Zach Kleiman said that timeline remains accurate. However, Jackson said that while he’s unlikely to suit up for opening night, he believes he’s ahead of the team’s schedule (Twitter links via Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian). Jackson hopes to win Defensive Player of the Year in ’22/23 after coming fifth last season, tweets Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I want it badly,” Jackson said.
With Jackson injured, second-year big man Santi Aldama was the first name to pop up as a possible replacement in the starting lineup from both Kleiman and head coach Taylor Jenkins, but Jenkins said that there are a number of other candidates for the role, including Brandon Clarke, Ziaire Williams, Dillon Brooks, Xavier Tillman, David Roddy and Jake LaRavia, so it sounds like there might be a training camp battle for the job, or even fluctuate depending on matchups (Twitter links from Cole).
Speaking about the contract statuses of Clarke, Brooks and Steven Adams, all of whom are extension-eligible, Kleiman didn’t want to go into specifics of negotiations, but he said the Grizzlies like all three players. “We view them as potential long-term pieces of our group,” Kleiman said, per Cole (via Twitter). Clarke would be a restricted free agent in 2023 if he doesn’t receive an extension, while Brooks and Adams would both be unrestricted. In case you missed, we broke down what an extension for Clarke might look like earlier today.
Despite being injured with a torn ACL, it doesn’t sound like veteran wing Danny Green is in danger of being waived anytime soon. “Danny Green is part of this group,” Kleiman said, adding that Memphis expects Green to return in ’22/23. However, his status as a free agent next summer is “to be determined.” (Twitter link via Cole). Green has a nearly $7MM partial guarantee on his $10MM contract this season, so he could be used as a trade chip for salary-matching purposes, but it also makes it expensive to waive him. If the Grizzlies retain Green, Killian Tillie is probably the odd man out, as the team is facing a roster crunch. Tillie will earn a guaranteed $1.9MM this season.