Length of Injuries
Losing star players, generally speaking, does not help. Jaren Jackson Jr went down with a knee injury during their loss to the Lakers and Brandon Clarke exited the Clippers game early with what was ruled a quad injury. Both players were given timelines to be re-evaluated in two weeks following their respective injuries.
Jackson, who is shooting 39.7 percent from 3 on 6.3 attempts per game while being top 10 in the league in blocked shots, is an anchor for this team on both ends of the floor. Clarke, while mainly contributing from the bench, has had a tremendous rookie season and led that bench to being one of the highest offensive-rated in the NBA.
The absence of both Jackson and Clarke both on the court and in the Grizzlies’ depth has been noticeable. Fortunately for the team, there is still a chance they could both return at a relatively similar time, pending their re-evaluations. They could also reenter the fold alongside Justise Winslow, although a timeline for his return has not been confirmed.
Memphis has tried a number of things to keep their frontcourt afloat in the meantime, from giving minutes to two-way players Yuta Watanabe and John Konchar to bringing in Anthony Tolliver for a veteran presence. The return of solely Jackson or Clarke would certainly be a welcome one, and if they can both return relatively soon, the full strength Grizzlies are still a force to be reckoned with.