The injury curse doesn’t seem to have left the Memphis Grizzlies! Ja Morant & Co. had a season to forget that was riddled with suspension and plenty of bumps and bruises. Heading into the fresh season, the star guard said, “Long as I stay happy and healthy, it’ll be a great season.” While Morant has managed to keep himself injury-free, there is a concerning update about the team’s trusted big man, Jaren Jackson Jr.

Following the Grizzlies Media Day, the players began preparations for the season at today’s training camp at a Nashville private school. Unfortunately, per Taylor Jenkins, Jackson suffered “hamstring tightness” on the opening day, putting him off the court.

Reportedly, the 2023 DPOY felt the tightness during his drive up to the post. The coach added that the big man would get his scanning done and Jenkins comfortingly said, “We’re anticipating it might be a strain.” A strain wouldn’t keep the star out of the court for too long, hopefully.

Additionally, via Tim MacMahon’s report, Jenkins said, “We’re not sure of the timeline,” while the team has already three players, GG Jackson, Cam Spencer, and Vince Williams, out of action with injuries. Since there’s no clarity on the severity of the injury, Jackson may miss a major portion of the pre-season games or even the regular season opener against the Utah Jazz on October 23.

Jaren Jackson Jr., in his 6-season-long career, has gone through multiple injury phases, including a grave season-ending injury in the 2020-21 season. Even in the previous season, which is known for the Grizzlies’ injury jinx, the 6 ’10 big man missed 16 games, dealing with quadriceps tightness. He’s starting to develop the reputation of being an injury-prone player, which certainly isn’t ideal.

Can the Grizzlies have their “core” intact for the season opener post Jaren Jackson Jr’s injury update?

“Certainly having a Ja, a Desmond, a Jaren Jackson, I think that’s one of, if not the best, 3-men cores in the NBA. I firmly believe that,” the Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman said on Media Day. Hours into the statement, the team is already one short of their core with an injury. After finishing the 2023 season as the second seed, the team went through an unfortunate phase, finishing as the 13th seed last season. However, the players don’t seem to have lost their hopes.

Especially Desmond Bane. The explosive guard said, “We still weren’t good enough… We still weren’t good enough to win a championship, and that’s our goal… I think Ja, myself, and Jaren have improved since then.” On the other end, Ja Morant seemed to be building a special connection with rookie Zach Eddey. The 7 ‘4 big man came into the side as the 9th overall pick and definitely impressed the 2x All-Star. During the off-season, fans got of glimpse of Ja and Eddey working on their combinations.

In addition, Eddey revealed that he felt welcomed when he reached out to Ja and said, “I’m just super thankful for that.” So, it’s safe to say that the Grizzlies can take care of the front court for the time being until Jaren Jackson Jr. gets back on the court! And it’s not only the players gearing up for the new season. The front office has also revamped the coaching staff, retaining the likes of only Patrick St. Andrews and Anthony Carter, among the influx of 6 new faces.

Will the Memphis side make a deep playoff push this season? Let us know.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.