Ty Jerome, Ja Morant
Trying to sum up the Memphis Grizzlies season in one word is not a difficult task. Unfortunately, the same one word is one that can be used for any of their last several seasons.
In Jeopardy style, the question is “What is injury?” It’s been tough sledding at the both the center and point guard spots, players sliding in and out of the lineup all season. Of course, some good news might finally be on the way in Memphis.
They signed Ty Jerome to a three-year $29 million deal following his breakout season in Cleveland. On October 20th, he suffered a calf strain that has kept him sidelined. The very same day he got hurt, fellow guard Scotty Pippen Jr. went down, too.
Good news for all Grizzlies fans out there. Jerome is almost ready to debut, and there is still time left to salvage this season.
Ty Jerome Nearing Grizzlies Debut
Injuries have been plaguing Ty Jerome since he first entered the NBA. Prior to his 70 games played with the Cleveland Cavaliers last year, the Virginia product had never made more than 48 appearances in a single season.
His breakout season with Cleveland where he was one of the 6th Man of the Year set him up to sign his first long-term contract in the league.
Of course, the year prior to his breakout season, he injured his ankle in the second contest of the year. He would not return again and the next 80 games were all DNP’s with an injury designation. This makes what happens this year more of a cautionary tale than anything, which is unfortunate.
Per Jonah Dylan of The Commercial Appeal’s article, Jerome is just 1-2 weeks away from finally suiting up in Memphis. In the modern day, hamstring and calf injuries can sometimes lead to worse developments if not treated with proper care. Exercising extra caution, the home from the Grizzlies would have to be that their offseason addition can go the rest of the season without a hiccup after returning.
1-2 weeks could still feel like a long time considering that Jerome is yet to play this year, but it’ll be here soon. Ja Morant missing games on top of this forced Cam Spencer into action as the primary point guard. The former UConn standout proved to be an elite playmaker, and unlocked another part of his game.
Despite their losing record to this point, Memphis could still make a run and salvage the year with a playoff appearance in the wild, wild West.
Projecting Role for Ty Jerome This Season
It is very likely that once he is finally cleared, Ty Jerome will be on a minutes limit. Chances are, missing this much time with a calf injury means that when the training wheels come off, more extreme caution will be exercised.
In a 6th or 7th man role, Jerome could come in and be a big-time scorer for this team. Putting the ball in the basket hasn’t been a major issue, and this just adds another weapon to a solid group.
Role players haven’t been the issue in Memphis, but availability of stars and some off-court headlines have been moreso.
Perhaps 15-20 minutes a night will be a solid beginning for the UVA product as he makes his way back. And come Play-In time, a larger role could be the case for Jerome. A player good enough to push for a larger role.
Welcome (almost) back, Ty. It’s about time.