標籤: Memphis

It’s been a tough year for Memphis Grizzlies fans. After a year of struggling to return to the playoffs thanks to a 48-win season, Memphis struggled greatly in head coach Tuomas Lisallo’s first full season with the team, winning only 25 games.

Now, the Grizzlies’ friends and family are dealing with a much more difficult hardship than anyone ever wants to experience.

On Tuesday, Priority Sports Agency revealed that one of their clients, Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, has died at the age of 29. According to the agency, Clark officially died on May 11, 2026.

The cause of Clark’s death has not yet been revealed to the public.

pic.twitter.com/9ecZSZKLcJ

– Priority Sports (@PrioritySports) 12 May 2026

The Oklahoma City Thunder made Clark the 21st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but his rights were already traded to the Grizzlies in exchange for Darius Bazley and a future second-round pick. Clark spent his entire seven-year career in Memphis, during which he made 50 appearances out of 309.

Clarke had been sidelined since 20 December with a calf injury; He finished his season playing only two games. This was a common theme in recent years, with Clarke’s 2023–24 season ended after just six games due to injury.

The Vancouver, British Columbia native averaged 10.2 ppg and 5.5 rpg while playing 20.8 minutes per game during his NBA career as a member of the Grizzlies.

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LeBron James has been in the headlines recently as his NBA future continues to be debated. Several teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have been mentioned as possible destinations if he leaves the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the Memphis Grizzlies could possibly be removed from the list.

James made his YouTube golf debut with Bob Does Sports on Thursday afternoon and was asked about playing for the Grizzlies. The four-time NBA champion not only rejected the idea, but he asked the Grizzlies to move to Nashville.

“You think I want to do this [expletive] at a random in memphis [expletive] Thursday?” James said. “I’m not the first person in the NBA to talk about this. We’re all like, ‘You guys have to move on.’ Just go to Nashville…their only chance would be 2003 if they won the lottery and I’d probably pull an Eli Manning and not come.”

James is not the first NBA player to mention the Grizzlies moving to Nashville. In March, Golden State forward Draymond Green called for the Grizzlies to relocate to Nashville, sparking conversation among fans about this possibility. In fact, the city has not been mentioned as a possible expansion destination.

The NBA has circled Las Vegas and Seattle as two expansion sites. Seattle lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008, while Las Vegas never got a professional NBA organization. The city has hosted the NBA Summer League and the NBA Cup in the past, so this isn’t a surprising development.

Nashville would likely require an existing organization to relocate to the city. If it were up to James and Green, the Grizzlies would relocate from Memphis to Nashville.

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The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Denver Nuggets 125-118 on Wednesday, then will once again face a challenging opponent in the Boston Celtics on Friday. The Grizzlies have a detailed injury report ahead of the matchup. GG Jackson, who is dealing with a right knee injury, is listed as questionable. Taj Gibson, who played in Wednesday’s 125-118 win, is also questionable due to soreness in his right foot.

Upon his return to the NBA, the 40-year-old Gibson, who last played for the Charlotte Hornets in 2024-25, joined the Grizzlies midseason. On Monday, Gibson made his Grizzlies’ season opener against the Chicago Bulls, his former team who drafted him in 2009. He spent the first seven years of his NBA career with the Bulls. The fans at the United Center gave him a standing ovation.

Grizzlies’ Jackson finished with 16 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the Grizzlies’ upset win against the Nuggets. Ty Jerome’s 21 points led the Grizzlies to the win. Oliver-McSevens Prosper finished with 19 points, including three triples and two blocks, and GG Jackson II added 16 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

As far as whether GG Jackson or Taj Gibson will play in the Grizzlies’ matchup against the Celtics, the answer is probably no.

grizzlies injury report

Santi Aldama – Outside – right knee; surgery recovery

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – Outside – right 5th finger; surgery recovery

Brandon Clarke – Out – Right calf; strain

Zach Eddy – Out – Left Ankle; surgery recovery

Taj Gibson – Questionable – Right leg; agony

GG Jackson – Questionable – Left knee; agony

Jahmai Mashaq – outside – left ankle; Sprain

celtics injury report

Nikola Vucevic – outside – right ring finger; fracture

The situation continues to worsen on the injury front for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Another Grizzlies player has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season, as Santi Aldama was recently injured due to knee problems. He will no longer see action on this campaign.

“Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama underwent a successful arthrosporic procedure and received an orthobiological injection today to relieve discomfort in his right knee. He will miss the remainder of the 2025-2026 season and is expected to be healthy for the start of the 2026-2027 season,” ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, formerly of the Ax, shared via a social media post on Twitter on Tuesday.

It has been over a month since Aldama last played a game, which was a February 4 meeting with the Sacramento Kings. The 25-year-old big man finished his fifth season in the league with averages of 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists through 43 games, including 11 starts – all career highs.

Memphis entered Tuesday in 11th place in the Western Conference standings with a 23-44 record, 9.5 games out of last place in the conference play-in tournament picture. Given the long odds for the Grizzlies to make the play-ins, let alone the NBA Playoffs, the decision to have Aldama undergo a procedure before the season ends rather than in the summer seems like a smart move.

Aldama was joined on the sidelines by guards Scottie Pippen Jr., Zach Eddy and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, all four of whom were ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.

Meanwhile, GG Jackson and Olivier-Maxence Prosper can be expected to enjoy solid minutes amid this development on Aldama, who was a first-round pick by the Utah Jazz in 2021.

Recently, Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart raised eyebrows when he claimed he was pressured to return to the lineup prematurely while he was injured during his stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. Smart was a member of the Grizzlies for two seasons before joining the Washington Wizards and then the Lakers.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Smart said, “I wanted to be 100%, give it everything I got.” “As I’m still working out and getting ready, they’re just like, ‘No, your doctor said you’re ready now.’ And I’m like, ‘I hear what my doctor said, but… this is how I feel.’ Yes, the finger is fine after surgery. But physically, no.”

Now, McMenamin reports that “when contacted by ESPN about Smart’s claims, the Grizzlies had no comment.”

If those claims prove true, it certainly wouldn’t look good for the Grizzlies and their medical staff, although Smart acknowledged that the finger was fine from a surgical standpoint.

The Grizzlies are in full-on tank mode at the moment, having recently removed their starters from a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter to ensure a loss, and many believe the team will once again explore trade scenarios for point guard Ja Morant this summer after they sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline.

Meanwhile, Smart has fit in well with the Lakers, who are currently on a six-game winning streak, having defeated the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

It remains to be seen if the Grizzlies will ever break their silence on Smart’s claims, but for now, this doesn’t bode too well for the franchise.

The Memphis Grizzlies have been in full-on tank mode in recent weeks as the 2025-26 NBA season reaches its home stretch. These efforts continued on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, with the team leading for most of the game on the road before shamelessly pulling their starters early in the fourth quarter and losing the game.

The Grizzlies shook things up by trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz at the NBA trade deadline last month, with many speculating that a Ja Morant trade could happen soon. While Memphis wasn’t able to do anything on that front, many still believe the Grizzlies have shifted their focus to the post-Morant era, which continued with the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Jeremy Wu, who projected them selecting point guard Mikel Brown Jr. from Louisville.

Wu said on ESPN.com, “Although he is shooting only 41% from the field this season, scouts feel comfortable with his history and his dynamic perimeter shot-making (34% from 3) continues to be a strong attribute.” “…Brown still projects somewhere inside the top 10, with evaluators remaining optimistic on his emergence as a tall (6-5) backcourt playmaker.”

Wu also said that “With Ja Morant’s long-term future uncertain, the Grizzlies should be in best-available mode.”

Some expect the Grizzlies to embark on a full rebuild this offseason, which has already begun with the trades of Jackson Jr. this year and Desmond Benn last offseason. A lot of Memphis’ future prospects may depend on how lucky they are when the NBA Draft Lottery is decided by ping pong balls in two months.

Tuomas Isalo has never been one to shy away from discussing the nitty-gritty of basketball, but his latest criticism touches on a trend that has increasingly frustrated NBA coaches. However, the Memphis Grizzlies are currently suffering the most, as they are effectively operating without a frontcourt. Their small-ball lineup without Ja Morant has been an easy target for opponents and officials, who have penalized overzealous, over-competing defenders.

Extensive practice on proper technique is one thing. NBA referees require a little more finesse to see things their way. Unfortunately, Isalo can’t point at the jumbotron without getting the Grizzlies in technical foul trouble. People who wear stripes hate to show off, but Memphis is throwing its hands up in anger after a recent 50-50 call.

“One of the things we’ve been good at this year, and we’ve practiced a lot, is showing our hands when there’s contact,” Isalo stressed. “I thought (against the Clippers), every time I look at the video board where they show the replays, there’s a foul on the drive.”

In two recent home losses, the Grizzlies were called for more fouls than the Portland Trail Blazers (23-22) and LA Clippers (29-20). It’s been even worse in road losses against the Minnesota Timberwolves (26-24) and Philadelphia 76ers (31-25). Even the recent win over the Dallas Mavericks (26-13) was a thrilling whistle-fest for Isalo. Being called for double violations despite having a drive-heavy game plan is almost unheard of in today’s NBA.

It’s hard to see, even if fans are rooting for the tank action to succeed. Intentionally engineering contact to cause fouls rather than executing a basketball game is either an art form or just ugly, unethical basketball. It depends on who you ask about a particular play and when. It can’t be denied that finding ways to make contact and get whistled is what smart players do to produce within the existing framework.

That’s why those ‘skills’ have come off the bench at this point.

“Our hands were outside the cylinder, and they were in the cookie jar,” Isalo said. “Players have become so skilled in this league that they can understand that situation and utilize it. And it’s not just the best offensive players. It’s one in 15 guys that are able to read that if your hand is on the body, they’re going to make that contact.”

Isalo stopped short of blaming officials for poor decisions, noting that calls are being made consistently throughout the league. Still, the pattern troubles him from a purist’s point of view. But what can be done?

Grizzlies get NBA attention

The NBA has attempted to address foul-batting before. Ahead of the 2021–22 season, the league announced an interpretive change in the role of “overt, sudden or unusual non-basketball moves by offensive players” with the ball in an attempt to draw a foul. Ahead of the 2023–24 season, he initiated a technical foul for flopping on a one-year trial basis, later made permanent.

That’s why Isalo noted that the issue is not with the consistency of whistleblowers or officials individually, but with the interpretation of the rule.

“It’s called consistently. I’m not a big fan of some of the interpretations because it seems like guys are just reaching for the foul instead of playing basketball. But it’s been extremely consistent in the way it’s been called. We’ve got to do a better job of doing that as a team and as a coaching staff doing that.”

Isalo’s comments reflect broader tensions throughout the NBA, where offensive players have increasingly mastered the art of using body contortions, sudden stops and subtle arm hooks to draw defenders into contact. Critics argue that this strategy slows down the game and rewards manipulation rather than skill, while others argue that it is simply smart, within-the-rules play. After months of feedback, the answer is not to lobby for a rule change mid-season, but to adapt.

This is perhaps the last useful test to find a silver lining in the season. These Grizzlies need to get better at playing inside and exploiting the same system that is currently working against them. Figuring out those subtle incentive structures on both ends of the court is probably the last intelligence Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward need to really run the wings.

The Memphis Grizzlies are vying for a spot in the hotly contested NBA tank race. He unveiled a lengthy injury report for Monday’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets.

The Grizzlies will be without Ja Morant, Zack Eddy, Santi Aldama, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Clarke and Taj Gibson. Meanwhile, Cedric Coward, Ty Jerome, Scottie Pippen Jr. and Taylor Hendricks are questionable.

That group includes Memphis’ eight highest-paid players. If all of the above names are ruled out, the Grizzlies will have only eight available players against the Nets: Walter Clayton Jr., Cam Spencer, GG Jackson, Jaylen Wells, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Javon Small, Ryan Rupert and Jahmai Meshach.

All of those players are on rookie contracts, minimum or two-way deals. There is no center among the group.

Ja Morant headlines Grizzlies’ lengthy injury report for tank matchup with Nets

Meanwhile, Michael Porter Jr. is resting for the Nets after playing 39 minutes during Saturday’s upset win over the Detroit Pistons. Egor Demin will miss his fifth consecutive game with a plantar fascia injury. However, Ben Saraf, who is probable with back tightness, is the only other Nets on the injury report.

Memphis will be without a traditional center on Monday. Meanwhile, both of Brooklyn’s centers, Nick Claxton and De’Ron Sharp, are available.

The Grizzlies have lost their last three games after consecutive wins over the Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers. They are eighth in the draft lottery standings, two games ahead of the ninth-place Chicago Bulls and three games behind the seventh-place Mavericks.

Meanwhile, the Nets’ upset win over the Pistons moved them into a tie with the Washington Wizards for third place. They are 1.5 games behind the second-place Indiana Pacers and two games behind the first-place Sacramento Kings.

The Portland Trail Blazers were looking to keep their momentum going against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, but things took a turn for the worse late in the second quarter. Donovan Clingan, the Blazers’ towering rookie center, found himself ejected early after a hot moment leading to automatic elimination.

Donovan Clingan has been ejected from the game after being rated 2 in this game 😳

pic.twitter.com/5oxOF8iHpA

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 5 March 2026

With just over three minutes remaining in the first half and the Grizzlies leading 52–47, Clingan was running the ball at the top of the key. Memphis forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper was locked down defensively, getting tough and keeping his hands active in the rookie’s face. In an apparent attempt to create space or perhaps out of frustration from the physical pressure, the Klingon delivered a sharp elbow that caught Prosper, sending him falling to the floor.

The Memphis Grizzlies agreed to a contract buyout of veteran wing Kyle Anderson, leaving them with an open roster spot after the transaction is completed. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, before clearing the buyout, the Grizzlies opted to bring in a veteran of their own by agreeing to the signing of Taj Gibson for their open roster spot.

Taj Gibson’s pending signing will leave the Grizzlies with 15 standard roster spots and three two-way contract spots. To reach the league-required 14 roster spots before adding Gibson, the Grizzlies signed former Portland Trail Blazers wing Ryan Rupert to a 10-day contract.

Gibson will debut for the Grizzlies as one of the oldest players in the NBA at the age of 40. This will be his 17th season in the league after spending last year with the Charlotte Hornets.

Drafted 26th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, Gibson appeared in 37 games for the Hornets last year, including 11 starts, playing a little over 11 minutes per game. He averaged 2.9 points and 3.2 rebounds with a split of 49.5 percent shooting from the field, 50 percent shooting from the 3-point line, and 60 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Gibson began his career with the Chicago Bulls, where he played for seven and a half seasons before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the 2017 trade deadline. He has also played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, and Detroit Pistons.

Gibson will bring an experienced presence to a young Grizzlies team. At this stage of his career, his leadership and presence off the court is more valuable than what he brings on the court.

The 2025-26 NBA season is not going well for the Memphis Grizzlies, and it didn’t get any better for them on Saturday, when they lost to the Miami Heat by a score of 136-120.

A big reason for the Grizzlies’ struggles in the campaign are the injuries they have been dealing with.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Memphis reportedly made a move to add a healthy body to the roster on Monday, as they added a former Portland Trail Blazers player to the team.

From Charania on

The 21-year-old Rupert entered the league in 2023 when the Trail Blazers used their No. 43 pick in that year’s NBA draft on him. In 139 games played over two seasons for Portland, Rupert averaged 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting only 36.7 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from behind the arc.

The 6-foot-7 Rupert played his final game in a Portland uniform last Thursday on the road against the Utah Jazz, scoring two points, grabbing four rebounds and recording a steal with two turnovers in 16 minutes of action in the 135-119 win. The next day, the Trail Blazers decided to waive him after promoting Sidi Sissoko to make room on the 15-man roster.

The move to the Grizzlies presents an opportunity for Rupert, who has a fully guaranteed $2.2 million contract through the 2025-26 season, to see a larger role on the court.

The Memphis Grizzlies’ season has been derailed. They entered the NBA All-Star break 20–33 and finished 5.5 games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies have been derailed in part by injuries, in particular, an injury to star point guard Ja Morant.

Morant has played in only 20 of 53 games this season. They played their last game on January 21 against the Atlanta Hawks in a 124–122 loss. The former All-Star guard is dealing with a UCL injury in his elbow.

On Wednesday, it was reported that Morant was still dealing with discomfort Will be reevaluated in two weeksAccording to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

This season has been full of injuries for Morant. Earlier, he had not been able to play for more than a month due to a calf strain.

All the injuries to the former second overall pick are only half of the story. He has been in controversy for many years due to his off-court antics. That combination appears to have crushed any trade value Morant provided for the Grizzlies.

Despite several trade rumors surfacing, the NBA trade deadline came and went while Morant still remained in Memphis.

Injuries are nothing new for the Murray State product. During his seven-year professional career, the Grizzlies guard has dealt with ankle sprains, knee sprains, back spasms, hip dislocations and labral tears in his shoulder. All this was ahead of the 2025-26 season.

He is not the only Grizzlies player to be out due to injury.

Additionally, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will undergo minor surgery to repair an impingement on his right little finger.