How Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. can survive a setback due to Zach Eddy’s injury

Just when it is Memphis Grizzlies thought I Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. was ready to finish in the Western Conference standings, Tuomas Iisalo‘s team found a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking. A season marked by constant reintegration and recalibration encountered another obstacle. Unfortunately, after less than a month in the rotation, Zach Edey (left ankle stress reaction) is fine to miss at least four weeks.

This pain is in same surgically repaired ankle joint which kept Edei out of the lineup from June to November 15. Morant has missed significant time, playing in 12 of 24 games so far. Jaren Jackson Jr. missed the first two games due to extended toe rehab. The 11-13 The Grizzlies jumped up in the standings7-2 over the past three weeks, but now sit in ninth place with not much room to move.

Eddie, a first-team all-rookie, was a revelation in his sophomore season, averaging 13.6 points and a team-high 11.1 rebounds per game. Trying to survive the twists and turns of the NBA Play-Ins without Edei will be Iisal’s most important puzzle.

The Grizzlies are sticking to the plan

The plan was for a returning Ja Morant, the team’s engine, to synergize with this new foundation during a relatively easy schedule to finish in 2025. Instead, the Grizzlies now face the difficult task of maintaining their momentum without arguably their most important player during a promising hot streak. The long-awaited partnership between their stars has once again been put on hold. Still, Iisalo, known for his egalitarian approach to allocating minutes, is not one to panic.

All signs point to Jock Landale as the team’s No. 1 starter, although his ability to run with the starters for 25-30 minutes remains in doubt. A strong performance over the next month could position the Australian big man for a significant raise in free agency, as he will step into Edie’s shoes with his range and mobility. However, everyone in the FedEx Forum stands will be looking for Jaren Jackson Jr. The two-time NBA All-Star’s stats have been down all season, and the former Defensive Player of the Year wants more than 29 minutes a night.

Here’s a chance to really double up in an All-Star campaign with nightly double-double players in 32-35 minutes. However, Iisal’s penchant for spreading his playing time and sticking to the rotation principles even when the stars might prefer otherwise is facing pressure to solve a more complex puzzle. Jackson Jr. will not write 40 minutes a night and time Saint Aldama he has earned praise for his versatility, his reputation as a performer is limited. That means Iisal’s small-ball lineups with the Spanish forward as anchor will be limited to short bursts of two to four minutes.

That would be neat risky for the Grizzlies to break the bench unit of Vince Williams, Cam Spencer, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Santi Aldama. They have been spectacular in the last 10 games. Jalen Wells and Cedric Coward can handle the additional defensive duties. Both have NBA potential for all defenses and young legs. That leaves the bulk of Edey’s roughly 18 spare minutes to be split between Oliver Maxence Prospero and GG Jackson. For a Grizzlies team looking at the Feb. 6 trade deadline, this stretch is a golden audition window.

Give GG Jackson a chance

The spotlight shines brightest on GG Jackson. After earning 21 starts as a rookie and pitching well, the 20-year-old has seen his role shrink dramatically: just three starts last season and appearing in just eight games this year, none as a starter. Still on a rookie-level deal, Jackson has sat on the bench for 161 of the team’s 246 regular-season games so far.

It’s time to decide if Jackson should be integrated into the core or used as salary cap in a future deal. Small samples of film suggest he has the talent to force a team’s hand; now Jackson finally has a chance in a few minutes.

For Prosper, this part is an evaluation period with direct implications for the trade deadline. His defensive activity and length are intriguing, but the Grizzlies need clarity on whether his offensive development can keep pace. Front offices around the league will also be watching.

Survival without Zach Edei is again not about rediscovering an identity. It’s about protecting the tempo, maintaining defensive principles and resisting the temptation to overload the pillars of the roster. If the medical outlook holds, the Grizzlies expect to return the center of the entire world fully healthy and rested for the race.

A month without the 7-foot-4 phenom won’t define a season. How Iisalo handles the absence will depend on how the roster looks when he returns and how far this team can go.