Grizzlies C Zach Edey out for rest of season after ankle surgery

The Memphis Grizzlies will be without center Zach Edey for the rest of the season.

The Grizzlies announced Tuesday that Edey would miss the remainder of 2025-26 after undergoing successful surgery to "address ongoing discomfort and bone stress in his left ankle." He is reportedly expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2026-27 season.

The Grizzlies have just 22 games left on their schedule after Tuesday's 117-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, not leaving much time for a recovery.

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Edey has not played for the Grizzlies since the team’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 7. He was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left ankle shortly after that, and has been sidelined since. Edey underwent ankle surgery last June and missed the start of the season as a result.

The team said Sunday that Edey’s lateral ligaments in his ankle remain stable despite the ongoing discomfort he’s dealing with, and that the procedure will “reinforce the medial ligament complex and accelerate bone healing.”

Edey has averaged 13.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season, his second in the league. The former Purdue star was selected with the No. 9 overall NBA Draft pick in 2024. Edey has appeared in only 11 games this season and also missed time with a head injury.

Listed at 7-foot-3 and 305 pounds, injuries remain a significant concern for the 23-year-old Edey.

Of course, Memphis has plenty of reason not to sweat losing its starting center at this point. At 23-37, the team is five games out from the final play-in tournament spot in the West, likely making it one of the teams more preoccupied with their position in the loaded 2026 draft. 

As of Tuesday evening, the team has the eighth-best position in the lottery, in a draft where the entire top 10 could offer impact talents based on how this year's college basketball freshman class is performing.