After not being expected to return until the beginning of the regular season, Zach Edey will suit up in a limited capacity against the Magic on Wednesday, Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo said.
Not only will he play today; he’ll start.
Before today, it was expected that Edey would sit during the preseason, with a preseason appearance looking unlikely.
However, Edey has been progressing well, and the Grizzlies have deemed him a full go. The Grizzlies are encouraged with Edey’s progress, but will remain cautious about his usage.
“This was pretty much the best-case scenario that we had planned, and there was nothing that prevented us from going there,” Iisalo said per The Daily Memphian’s Drew Hill.
Edey to Return Wednesday
This will be Edey’s first game since Dec. 7. He had a stellar, albeit short, second season, averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in the 11 games he played.
Iisalo said the team has been conservative when discussing Edey’s trajectory to limit any pressure, but noted Edey is ahead of schedule, reports The Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington.
The Grizzlies with Edey
After Isaiah Stewart went down with an injury Monday, the frontcourt is light for the Grizzlies, so Edey’s return is more than welcome.
It’ll be his first game alongside rookie Cameron Boozer, who looked stellar in his first preseason game. The two are the frontcourt pairing of the future for the Grizzlies, and it all begins Wednesday night.
Zach Edey Set to Return in Preseason Game Wednesday