GG Jackson II, the rookie big man who got an opportunity due to injuries last season in Memphis and played his way into the rotation (and All-Rookie Team), will miss the start of the season due to foot surgery, the team announced on Friday.
Jackson fractured his fifth metatarsal in his right foot during a pickup game near Dallas earlier in the week.
This news just seems unfair to a Memphis team that was decimated by injuries last season — Ja Morant, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, Marcus Smart, and Desmond Bane all missed extended time or the entire 2023-24 season — but was finally getting healthy.
Jackson suffered what’s commonly known as a Jones fracture, with the surgery repairing the bone that connects your little toe with the base of the foot closer to the ankle. This fracture is not uncommon among NBA players with guys such as Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez and Ben Simmons suffering it, among many others. How long it takes to heal depends on where the fracture is along the bone, how severe is the break (is it displaced), and what steps are taken during surgery to repair it (including if pins or rods are needed to keep the bone in place). Jackson might return before Thanksgiving, or he could be out into 2025, that timeline cannot be established before the surgery. The challenge is that this area of the foot does not always get good blood flow, so healing can be slower in some cases.
This is a blow to a Grizzlies frontcourt that needs the athleticism and depth Jackson provides. Memphis likely will start rookie Zach Edey at center and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. at the four, with Brandon Clarke and Santi Aldama behind them, and Jackson was to be part of that rotation. Now, the Memphis frontcourt will be a little thin to start the season.