The anticipated season debut of the Grizzlies' starting center, Zach Edey, is likely here after he was listed as Questionable for the team's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 15th. The second-year big man from Purdue missed the team's first 13 games this season due to offseason ankle surgery and is returning to a team that has severely missed his presence in the paint.
During his NBA All-Rookie First Team campaign last season, Edey led the NBA in rebounding in the final month of the season with 15.7 per game and 1.8 blocks per game. Those numbers coincided with the coaching switch from Taylor Jenkins to Tuomas Iisalo, which led to extended minutes for Zach Edey.
The Grizzlies' history of players returning from long-term injuries has included listing the player as Doubtful the game before, as they did with Edey before their loss to the Boston Celtics on November 12th. With his impending return, the team's star should get a boost in their performance after a lackluster start to the season.
Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. thrive with a quality big man
This is not a shot at Jock Landale, who has started the Grizzlies' first 13 games of the season and is one of the team's leaders in three-point percentage. However, he was brought in to likely be the team's third center and backup to begin the season until Edey returned. Brandon Clarke's injury setback pushed Landale to a starting role, with a skill set that doesn't unlock their stars the best.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant have always thrived when they have a big man playing next to them who provides quality pick-and-roll opportunities, second-chance points, and rim protection. The Grizzlies led the NBA in points in the paint from 2019 to 2023, when Jonas Valančiūnas and Steven Adams were the starters (two seasons each). Last season, Zach Edey helped them rank second in points in the paint after ranking dead last the season before he arrived.
This season, the Grizzlies rank 26th in points in the paint. While Ja Morant has mentioned their spacing being an issue in postgame interviews, missing a bruising center who provides second-chance opportunities has been missed. Also, the Grizzlies' rebounding has fallen to 17th in the league this season after ranking second last season.
Jaren Jackson Jr. isn't a good rebounder and is best on defense with a bruising center to protect the rim and grab rebounds, allowing him to play the "free safety" role. The struggles of the Grizzlies' stars have been well documented to start this season, but the return of Zach Edey should help them snap out of their funk.