The Memphis Grizzlies might have found lightning in a bottle when they traded for Mario Chalmers, as they have won their first three games with him on the team, but not everything is going great for them. The Grizzlies are not very deep in the frontcourt so they cannot afford to lose one of their big guys for an extended period of time, but that has been the case with Brandan Wright. Wright has missed Memphis' last five games and still does not have a timetable for a return, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commerical Appeal.
Wright injured his knee in the Grizzlies' game on Nov. 7 against the Utah Jazz and had to leave the game and has not appeared since. The Grizzlies at first were calling it soreness and then tendinitis, but since then Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger said it is "more than tendinitis" and that he will likely be out a while. Wright has now been out for close to two weeks, and there doesn't appear to be a return in site.
"I had been playing through pain the whole time. All I can really tell you is that it's sore and we're treating it. It's going to be a day-to-day thing," said Wright.
The 6-foot-11 center has been dealing with the injury since training camp, but instead of getting better it has gotten worse, and now it is not even something he can play through. Wright underwent an MRI, but neither the team nor Wright would give the specifics of the results. It doesn't seem to be a season-threatening injury, although Joerger said his concern level for Wright is high.
In seven games as the Grizzlies backup center, Wright was averaging 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 17.1 minutes per game before getting hurt. His inability to play leaves the Grizzlies extremely thin in the frontcourt, as JaMychal Green is the only real big man behind starters Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Joerger said he wanted to play Matt Barnes at the four a lot this season, and now it seems like he will have no other choice but to do so, as Wright doesn't seem anywhere close to getting back on the floor.
