What Jaren Jackson Jr's injury update means for the Grizzlies' early season tests

The words heard by Taylor Jenkins in the the Grizzlies' media availability after practice on October 21st was "Jaren Jackson Jr. is out for the season.....opener." The word "opener" is a huge sigh of relief considering the Sunday before the season opener last year the Grizzlies announced that then-starting center Steven Adams was out for the season due to knee surgery.

After injuring his hamstring on the first day of training camp, Jaren Jackson Jr. was ruled out as week-to-week with a low-grade strain. The expectation was always for him to be ready to play in the season-opening game, even as late as last Thursday when he was ruled out for the Grizzlies' final preseason game.

However, due to caution with his conditioning as the team has started to work him back into the 5-on-5 sessions, he will likely make his season debut later in the week. As the team deals with a plethora of injuries to GG Jackson, Vince Williams Jr., Cam Spencer, and Luke Kennard, what does this latest news mean for the Grizzlies?

They have been here before

This isn't the first time the Grizzlies have had to deal with a Jaren Jackson Jr. injury to begin their regular season. As he enters his seventh season in the NBA, this will be the third time the team will play a season-opening game without their star forward.

Entering his third NBA season in 2020-21, Jaren Jackson Jr. was recovering from a torn meniscus injury that he had suffered in the bubble just four months prior. He went on to miss the majority of that season, only playing 11 games, and the team had a 34-27 record without him and made the playoffs with him primarily coming off the bench because of his late-season addition.

After playing 78 games in the Grizzlies' breakout year in 2021-22, Jackson suffered a broken foot injury that required surgery the summer after and missed the first 14 games of the 2022-23 season. The team began that season 9-5 and upon his return, looked like a team capable of competing for an NBA championship before it all came crashing down.

The starting power forward in place of Jaren Jackson Jr. that season was the same guy who will likely start in his place this season, Santi Aldama. With Brandon Clarke available off the bench and Zach Edey covering the center position, the Grizzlies are equipped to handle the loss of Jackson Jr. again for a shorter time than his two previous season-opening missed games.

With the Grizzlies opening the season with two road games before returning to Memphis for the home opener on Saturday, Jaren Jackson Jr. will likely make his 2024-25 debut at home against the Orlando Magic on October 26th.