This is not the news that Grizzlies fans wanted to see. After suffering a season-ending wrist injury last season in Charlotte, Jaylen Wells is set to undergo surgery on his great right toe. Wells suffered a tendon avulsion fracture in his great right toe in the road loss to the Atlanta Hawks on March 23. Given how few games are left, the procedure to stabilize his toe will very likely end his season.
The @memgrizz today announced the following medical update for Jaylen Wells. pic.twitter.com/aSKu5MVwG0
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) March 29, 2026
In 69 games, Wells averaged 12.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 26.4 minutes per game. It was a very up-and-down season for Jaylen Wells, but Wells was starting to play his best offensive basketball lately. Since the All-Star Game, Wells has been averaging 13.9 points and having one of his most efficient stretches shooting the basketball all season.
It's an unfortunate blow for Jaylen Wells
While it remains to be seen how long Wells will need to recover, it is unfortunate to see him lose out on more late-season game reps just like last season. It remains to be seen how long he will miss, but he will likely lose out on some time for offseason development. Wells has made a leap offensively, but he will have to build consistency on offense and improve in transition.
Given how well Jaylen Wells has defended in his first two seasons, he is looking like a key piece in Memphis for years to come. However, it will be interesting to monitor the competition between the young wings on the current roster and if one of the Grizzlies' first-round picks is a wing player. Wells should still end up being a key contributor in Memphis, but his role could end up being different going forward.
Grizzlies' injury luck has just simply been brutal
The list of season-ending injuries and surgeries just keeps on growing. Players such as Ja Morant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, and Brandon Clarke had already been ruled out for the season. Depending on the timeline given after the surgery, it looks like Wells will join the long list of season-ending injuries.
This season can be summed up perfectly by the consistent use of 10-day contracts and simply lacking enough healthy players to be a playoff contender. There is plenty of work to be done for the Grizzlies to reach the level of teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs; however, the team simply needs better injury luck in this new era.
Jaylen Wells has shown enough to be a key piece in Memphis, and picking him in the second round has been a resounding success. This latest injury update is a tough ending to an up-and-down sophomore season, but Wells has everything it takes to keep evolving into a long-term winning piece for the Grizzlies.