Six months and nine days after a 132-101 loss in Houston closed a 25-57 season, Memphis gets to start fresh.
The Grizzlies open the season Wednesday at FedExForum against Utah, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. CT. It also gives fans their first real look at the Coward-Edey-Boozer era, and there’s plenty packed into one night.
The obvious headliner is the rookie showdown between Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer. Utah selected Peterson at No. 2 in June, one pick ahead of Memphis taking Boozer at No. 3, and they already crossed paths in Summer League.
Peterson got the upper hand in that one, finishing with 25 points and 12 assists in a 109-100 Jazz win. Boozer still produced 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, but Peterson owned the night.
Wednesday is the first of three meetings between the two this season, with the rematch set for Oct. 26 in Salt Lake City and another matchup coming in January. Their college resumes give the matchup even more weight.
Peterson left Kansas as the highest-scoring freshman in school history at 20.2 points per game on 44% shooting. Boozer exited Duke with the Naismith Player of the Year award after averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 55%.
If they come close to those numbers again, this one could have some juice from the jump.
There’s another storyline built in, too, and it belongs to Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis drafted him fourth overall in 2018, and he spent eight seasons there, winning Defensive Player of the Year and making two All-Star teams before the Grizzlies traded him to Utah on Feb.
- That deal brought Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks back to Memphis in an eight-player trade.
But the reunion hasn’t exactly stayed intact. After Clayton Jr. was cut yesterday to get the Grizzlies under the maximum allowed players, all of the players Memphis received in that deal except Hendricks have since been waived.
Jackson never actually played against Memphis after the trade, because his season ended after just three games with Utah following surgery to address a growth in his left knee. He did, however, receive a video tribute and a loud ovation when the Jazz visited Memphis on Feb.
- Now healthy, he’s finally set to face his former team on the floor, and the building should react accordingly when his name is introduced.
For Memphis, the bigger picture is trying to show that last season was an outlier rather than a preview. The Grizzlies lost 564 man-games to injury and illness, an NBA record, and cycled through 48 different starting lineups while 29 players made at least one start. Tuomas Iisalo’s first full season as head coach ended with that 25-57 record, and the team finished the year dressing only eight players and starting two 10-day signees in Houston.
At media day, Iisalo said Memphis is in a much better place heading into camp, especially on the health front.
That includes Zach Edey, who played only 11 games last season before a second ankle surgery in March. He was cleared for full activity in September, made his preseason debut Oct. 7, and has looked sharp since. He’ll be in the frontcourt to start Wednesday alongside Boozer and projected starters Ty Jerome, Cedric Coward and Jerami Grant.
That pairing between Boozer and Edey is worth watching on its own. So is the broader shape of the new offense. Memphis is getting a first real test of Iisalo’s pace-driven system with most of the roster available, and for the first time, the Grizzlies can find out whether the buzz around that offense matches what shows up in a regular-season game.
The injury report is light, too. Isaiah Stewart is the only player listed for Memphis, and he’s doubtful with a left ankle sprain. Grizzlies PR said Tuesday that Stewart, who sprained the ankle in the preseason opener and had originally been ruled out at least two weeks, has been upgraded to doubtful for Wednesday.
In Other News...
Grizzlies Rookie Picture Gets More Complicated As One Fit Stands Out
As the Grizzlies get ready for their season opener, one of the quieter offseason additions has started to draw real attention: Cam Boozer. The Duke forward brings the kind of versatile skill set Memphis has been looking to layer onto its young core, and his fit alongside a front line led by Zach Edey gives the roster a different shape than it had a year ago. For a team trying to build something more durable around its rising pieces, that kind of positional flexibility matters.
The other rookie storyline is less straightforward. Richie, a drafted player still working back from an ACL injury, has not reached a contract agreement with Memphis yet, leaving his status unresolved as camp nears its final stretch. The gap between the sides has become its own small test for a franchise trying to manage development, financial caution and roster planning all at once. Even with the opener approaching, the rookie picture in Memphis still has one important piece hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Just Sent A Harsh Message About Walter Clayton
Walter Clayton has found a new landing spot, and it comes after a brief, uneasy stop in Memphis. The Mavericks officially signed the guard to a two-way contract, giving him a path forward after the Grizzlies waived him and other teams had reportedly been in the mix once Dallas opened a roster spot.
For Memphis, the move adds another layer to a busy stretch around Clayton, who was taken 18th overall in the 2025 NBA draft and spent time with both the Utah Jazz and Grizzlies last season. His arrival in Memphis was tied to the larger trade landscape around Jaren Jackson Jr., and now the next question is whether the Grizzlies simply moved on too quickly or if this was always headed toward a fresh start elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Suddenly Have A Real Shot At A Guard Fans Know
Walter Clayton Jr. is back on the market after Memphis waived him ahead of the roster deadline, and that has already put a few teams on alert. The former Grizzlies guard is drawing interest around the league, with Dallas and Sacramento among the clubs keeping tabs as they look for backcourt depth and a low-risk addition.
The Mavericks are in a particularly practical position because they still have room to maneuver on a two-way deal, and Claytons next stop may come down to fit as much as opportunity. If he clears waivers, his choice could be shaped by where he sees the clearest path to minutes and development, which makes this one worth watching as the market sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]