Zach Edey Cleared for Preseason Debut as Grizzlies Face Magic

Zach Edey is finally back on the floor. The Memphis Grizzlies center will make his preseason debut Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, head coach Tuomas Iisalo confirmed, marking the 7-foot-4 big man's first game action since ankle trouble limited him to just 15 appearances last season.

Edey, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 draft, has undergone two ankle procedures since joining the NBA. The second came after his season was cut short, and Memphis has handled his recovery with extreme care ever since. The organization says Edey has been fully cleared, and Iisalo framed his progress as the outcome the team had hoped for all along, describing it as roughly the best-case scenario the training staff had mapped out.

The Grizzlies will keep Edey's workload conservative. Iisalo said the plan is to limit his minutes carefully as the preseason progresses, with the regular-season opener on Oct. 21 standing as the real target for him to be ready. That measured approach matches how Memphis handled its rotation in Sunday's preseason-opening win over the Atlanta Hawks, when every player stayed under 20 minutes and reserves Ty Jerome and Quinten Post sat out the second half entirely.

Starters league-wide are expected to see their minutes climb as opening night approaches, but for Memphis, the headline of this preseason is simple: their towering young center is back. If Edey holds up through the remaining exhibition games, the Grizzlies will head into the season with a full-strength frontcourt for the first time in a year.