Memphis Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr.’s return will likely be a surprise

The Memphis Grizzlies have officially hit the NBA All-Star break. For most teams, this means a time to recover and reflect. They’ll also look forward and see what they can change to get their team in the best possible position for the playoffs.

For Grizzlies fans though, this means that Jaren Jackson Jr.’s return is approaching. The story of his absence hasn’t been well documented, so it’s hard to say if he’ll truly return after the All-Star break. That being said, the last update that we were given left us with some clues as to when he’ll return.

Nearly 3 weeks ago, we discovered that Jackson Jr. and Justise Winslow had returned to practice in a limited capacity. Winslow would come out of this quickly, already having played a few games in a Grizzlies uniform. Jackson, on the other hand, has not yet been seen this year.

The Memphis Grizzlies have shown that they like to be cautious

But while we’re on the topic of Winslow, it’s important to note how long they took to get him back out on the court. Hip injuries can be brutal, but he was out for over a year.

Jackson, on the other hand, is nearing a 7-month recovery on an injury that rarely keeps players out for more than 6 months. In fact, those who get surgery on their meniscus often return after just 3 months. But clearly, they’re being careful about this.

Another comparable aspect to Winslow’s injury is that we weren’t given many updates on his return. One day, he just sort of appeared as questionable on the injury report. No press conference, no announcement, nothing.

Even though Jaren Jackson Jr. is a bigger name, there’s no reason to believe that we’ll get any more updates on his return. We got the same update when they returned to practice and we’ll likely get the same treatment when he returns.

Keep your eyes peeled on the injury reports; those could be your only updates on this injury. That being said, we may have watched our last Grizzlies game without him this season. Time will tell, but his return will be huge for this team’s playoff chances.