The Ankle Problem That Won't Go Away
Zach Edey is heading back to the injury list, and it's the same ankle that's been causing problems since before his NBA career started. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Memphis Grizzlies center will miss at least one month with a left ankle stress reaction—the same ankle he had surgically stabilized last June.
The Grizzlies are framing this as precautionary, stating the absence aims to "optimize long-term health" for their 23-year-old rookie and insisting there's no cause for concern going forward. That's the official line. The reality is more complicated and more worrying.
The Durability Question Nobody Wants to Ask
Zach Edey stands 7-foot-4 and weighs 305 pounds. That combination of extreme height and weight puts massive stress on ankles, knees, and feet with every step, every jump, every landing. NBA history is littered with giant centers whose careers were shortened or derailed by lower-body injuries that never fully healed.
Edey already missed the opening weeks of the regular season with ankle issues. Now he's back on the shelf with the same ankle showing stress reactions despite surgical intervention. At some point, you have to ask: can a player this big stay healthy playing 30+ minutes per night at NBA pace?
The Grizzlies say not to worry. But when a 305-pound center keeps having ankle problems before he's even finished his rookie season, worry is the appropriate response. This isn't pessimism—it's pattern recognition based on decades of NBA history showing big men with chronic foot and ankle issues rarely stay on the court consistently.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 11, 2025
Timing Couldn't Be Worse
Edey was finally finding his rhythm after a slow start to his NBA career. Over his last six games before the injury, he averaged 16.5 points on 64.3% shooting, 14 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks. He wasn't just contributing—he was dominating, using his size and improving touch to punish opponents inside.
His breakout performance came against Sacramento, where he posted 32 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a statement game that showed exactly why Memphis drafted him. His defensive presence anchored a Grizzlies squad that won seven of nine games, including five straight victories where Edey's interior impact was undeniable.
Just when the former Purdue star looked ready to establish himself as a legitimate NBA rotation piece, his ankle betrayed him again. That's the cruel reality of injuries—they don't care about momentum or timing.
What This Means for Memphis
The Grizzlies lose their most productive big man just as they were building chemistry and stringing together wins. Edey's rim protection, rebounding, and efficient scoring created a defensive anchor Memphis desperately needed. Without him, they're thinner inside and more vulnerable to teams that attack the paint.
Memphis will adjust—they always do. Jaren Jackson Jr. slides into more center minutes, and the rotation gets shuffled to compensate for Edey's absence. But there's no replacing a 7-foot-4 presence who was shooting 64% from the field and averaging 14 rebounds over his last stretch.
The Grizzlies were climbing the Western Conference standings with Edey playing his best basketball. Now they're back to managing injuries and hoping their depth holds up during a crucial stretch of the season.
The Surgery That Didn't Fix Everything
Edey had his left ankle surgically stabilized in June, presumably to prevent exactly this type of issue. Six months later, he's dealing with stress reactions in the same ankle that required surgery. That raises uncomfortable questions about whether the procedure addressed the underlying problem or just delayed it.
Stress reactions occur when bone can't handle the repetitive load being placed on it. For a player of Edey's size playing at NBA intensity, that load is enormous. Surgery can stabilize structures, but it can't change physics—305 pounds coming down on that ankle thousands of times per season creates forces that eventually cause problems.
The Long-Term Concern
Memphis is being cautious now to protect Edey's future. That's smart. But the pattern developing here is concerning: ankle surgery in the offseason, missed time at the start of the regular season, a brief productive stretch, then back to the injury list with stress reactions in the surgically repaired ankle.
That's not a fluke. That's a player whose body is telling him it can't consistently handle the demands being placed on it. The Grizzlies can rest him now, manage his minutes later, and hope he develops the durability to stay healthy. But NBA history suggests giant centers with chronic lower-body issues rarely escape the injury cycle completely.
Greg Oden, Sam Bowie, Yao Ming—the list of talented big men whose careers were compromised or ended by foot and ankle problems is long and sobering. Edey's talent is obvious. His production when healthy proves he can play at this level. The question is whether his body will let him do it consistently over a full career.
What Happens Next
Edey will miss at least one month, meaning he's out through mid-January at the earliest. The Grizzlies will monitor his progress, ensure the ankle heals properly, and likely bring him back slowly to avoid re-aggravating the issue.
When he returns, Memphis will need to manage his workload carefully. Back-to-backs might become rest days. Minutes restrictions might become permanent. The goal is protecting a 23-year-old rookie's long-term future, even if it means sacrificing short-term production.
But every time Edey goes down with ankle issues, the concern grows. Can a 7-foot-4, 305-pound center stay healthy in the modern NBA? We're about to find out if Memphis can keep their young giant on the court long enough to find the answer.