The Memphis Grizzlies released some concerning news on big man Zach Edey after his recent injury diagnosis. Edey is set to miss some time after suffering from a stress reaction in his left ankle.
In a post on their official website, the Grizzlies announced a trio of injury news, including an update on Edey’s condition. The Purdue product had been dealing with a sore left ankle earlier this month and was diagnosed with a stress reaction, which is the typical precursor for a fracture.
“Zach Edey has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left ankle. He is expected to make a full recovery following a period of offloading and rehabilitation. Edey will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks, and further updates will be provided as appropriate,” the Grizzlies said in their statement.
Edey wasn’t the only player from the Grizzlies’ medical update. John Konchar tore the UCL in his left thumb and will undergo surgery. His return won’t be known until he gets the procedure done.
Javon Small, on the other hand, is recovering well from a turf toe injury in his left foot. He was given a return timeline of three to five weeks.
Edey’s Agent Releases Statement Amid His Injury
Zach Edey missed the first 13 games of the season because he was recovering from an offseason ankle surgery. This current injury is a tough blow for Memphis because they were playing well upon his return.
It was also the same ankle that had a restablization surgery to fix excessive ligamentous laxity, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. Edey even had two left ankle injuries last season as a rookie, which were both sprains, causing him to miss 16 games.
The player’s agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, released a statement to The Commercial Appeal to address the injury.
“This is a management plan to optimize Zach’s long-term health in consultation with the Grizzlies and medical experts,” Bartelstein said. “Following this step, the short- and long-term prognosis for Zach is excellent.”
In his absence, the Grizzlies are expected to start Jock Landale at center, with Santi Aldama as his backup. Jaren Jackson Jr. could slide into the position as well depending on matchups.
Brandon Clarke started the season as the backup big man, but he’s also injured. He has a vague timetable for his return, which could in two to five weeks.
Grizzlies Winning With Edey
After a slow start to the season, the Grizzlies were suddenly winning games after Zach Edey returned to the lineup. They had a 7-4 record since Edey made his season debut on November 15 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In those 11 games Edey played, he averaged 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.9 blocks. His presence in the paint was also a huge boost to the Grizzlies’ overall team defense.
Nevertheless, it’s not all bad news for Memphis. Ja Morant could be returning soon from his calf injury. Tension between Morant and the coaching staff has also mellowed down over the past month, so things are looking up for the Grizzlies.
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