Zach Edey’s return to the floor is moving in the right direction, and the Grizzlies are starting to sound increasingly confident about where things stand.
According to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian, Edey has been medically cleared for on-court activity and continues to advance along the rehab path Memphis expected. At the team’s media day on Monday, general manager Zach Kleiman said the third-year center is on track to be ready for the October 21 season opener and could even get some preseason minutes.
Edey’s 2024/25 season was chopped down to just 11 games after he went through two surgeries on his left ankle. The first came in June of 2025 to address “excessive ligamentous laxity,” while the second was performed in March to ease lingering discomfort and bone stress.
“There’s still good and bad days with it,” Edey said Monday about his recovery process (Twitter link). “That’s just part of the rehab, but on the good days I feel more athletic than I ever have.”
Even in that limited stretch, Edey gave Memphis real production. He finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting and averaged 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 25.8 minutes per game while shooting 63.3% from the field. The Grizzlies went 7-4 when he played.
Memphis also used media day to address one of the biggest decisions of the offseason: the trade of Ja Morant to Portland after seven years with the franchise, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Morant had once looked like the kind of player who could define the franchise, but injuries and off-court issues over the last three years changed the picture.
He also had friction with the coaching staff last season and reportedly told people in private he wanted out. Kleiman said it was time for the organization to “pick a lane” regarding Morant’s future.
Tuomas Iisalo, meanwhile, sounded encouraged by what a healthy Ty Jerome could add. Cole reported that the head coach pointed to Jerome’s 15-game stretch last season, noting that his efficiency pace was matched over a full season only by Luka Doncic.
There are also some health questions further down the roster. Micah Peavy, acquired from New Orleans earlier this month, is out after turning his ankle, and Kleiman said it will be a while before Memphis sees him on the court. That matters because Peavy is one of several players who could be squeezed by the roster situation, with the Grizzlies carrying 18 players on standard contracts.
Kleiman also described Richie Saunders as a “wait and see” case. The unsigned second-round pick from BYU tore his ACL in February and could miss a significant portion of the season while he works back.