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Grizzlies make Scotty Pippen Jr. move amid Ja Morant, Desmond Bane injuries

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Jay Postrado | Last updated 1/16/24

The Memphis Grizzlies’ season is slowly slipping away from them. A lot of injuries have plagued the team which has prevented them from reaching their full potential. They were once a top-seeded team this time last year but all of that came crumbling down. Ja Morant had to face a suspension and then had season-ending surgery. Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane will also be out due to bodily ailments. Taylor Jenkins needs an extra boost and Scotty Pippen Jr. can be exactly that.

The Grizzlies are getting a new guard to fill up their open roster spot. Scotty Pippen Jr. is now part of the Taylor Jenkins-led roster, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. He agreed to a two-way contract that would last for two years.

He is coming fresh off a stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. A decision was made to make him a free agent after having played six games with the purple and gold. On an average of 5.3 minutes played, he averaged 2.3 points along with 0.3 assists and 0.7 rebounds. There is still a lot left to be desired in his shooting. He only knocks down 33.3% of his field goals from both the two-point area and far out.

The biggest benefit here is the Grizzlies will be able to give him more minutes than the Lakers. They are lacking in the guard position with the absences of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart. If he is given the green light, there could be more opportunities for him to stay on the main roster.

The Grizzlies’ injury bug

This free-agency signing makes a lot of sense for the Grizzlies. They have not been able to find a stable rotation because of all the injuries plaguing them. Just recently, Jake LaRavia suffered a Grade 2 high left ankle sprain which may prevent him from playing in the next three weeks. Bane, their scoring machine, will also be re-evaluated in the next six weeks after nursing a left ankle sprain.

The most gut-wrenching injury was Morant’s right shoulder. He needed to have a season-ending surgery which means that they need a star. Their defensive specialist in Smart will also miss at least six weeks because of a severe right ring finger injury. Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke also have not returned to the roster along with Derrick Rose. Hopefully, Pippen can give the Grizzlies a much-needed boost.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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