Grizzlies give injury updates on Ja Morant, Zach Edey, Cedric Coward
The Memphis Grizzlies returned to practice on Feb. 18 at FedExForum, their first time on the court since the NBA break for All-Star Weekend. As Memphis — which last played Feb. 11 against the Denver Nuggets — turns the page to the second half of the season, the availability of key players looms above anything.
Without knowing who will play, it's hard to get a gauge on what the Grizzlies (20-33) can and can't accomplish in their last 29 regular-season games. Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo spoke after practice and provided injury updates on key players. The team's next game is at 6 p.m. CT Feb. 20 against the Utah Jazz at FedExForum.
Grizzlies injury updates Grizzlies wing Cedric Coward missed the game against the Nuggets and was held out of the Feb. 13 Rising Stars game during All-Star Weekend because of right knee soreness. He was able to rehab through the break. Coward was seen during the media viewing portion of practice getting up shots with teammates. Iisalo said Coward didn't do work with the team at practice, but he's making progress.
Santi Aldama (right knee injury management) has dealt with the injury that has led to him missing eight of the past nine games. He wasn't able to practice with the team on Feb. 18 because the knee injury is still nagging him, Iisalo said. Aldama was seen getting up shots during the media viewing portion of practice, but it sounds like Memphis wants to be careful while getting to the bottom of the injury.
"We want to get it to a baseline," Iisalo said. "We spent those few games trying to go a little bit back and forth and it flared up every time." Brandon Clarke (right calf strain) and Zach Edey (left ankle stress reaction) both have been sidelined since December. Iisalo said "it's approaching that time" for updates on both players. Ja Morant last played on Jan. 21 against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Grizzlies announced on Jan. 24 that he would be reevaluated in three weeks after suffering a left elbow UCL sprain. Morant was not seen during the media viewing portion of practice. "He's going to have the reevaluation pretty soon," Iisalo said. Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com.
Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies injury updates on Ja Morant, Cedric Coward, Santi Aldama Memphis Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo discussed the latest on the injured players who have missed time in recent weeks.
Memphis Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo discussed the latest on the injured players who have missed time in recent weeks.