Zach Edey’s return: Grizzlies target opening night while managing camp workload

Updated October 8, 2026, 1:44 a.m. EDT: Zach Edey played against Orlando on October 7.

Before that game, Tuomas Iisalo said Memphis would remain conservative with Edey’s minutes, Damichael Cole reported on October 7.

October 4 update: Zach Edey participated in Memphis’s open-practice activities, Damichael Cole reported Sunday. Cole wrote that Edey was not expected to play at Atlanta on October 5. Tuomas Iisalo said a decision on any preseason appearance would come later. This was the reported expectation at that point, not a final game-day designation; the regular-season opener remained the team’s target.

Zach Edey took part in the Memphis Grizzlies’ first training-camp practice on Tuesday, September 29, then had a reduced workload during the second session as the team manages his return.

At the start of camp, reporter Damichael Cole said Edey was cleared for on-court work but not for two-a-day practices. He worked on shots around the basket during the media’s viewing period of the second session and was expected to practice again Wednesday.

Coach Tuomas Iisalo said communication with Edey is important because the center’s willingness to push through does not always serve the player or the team. Iisalo also praised his work with the medical staff over the summer.

Memphis opened camp at Belmont University in Nashville with two sessions lasting a little over an hour each. The first emphasized learning the system; the second brought more transition work, defense and scrimmaging.

Iisalo said the healthier roster allowed Memphis to use that format after injuries had limited its options at the start of last season.

Why Memphis is managing Edey’s workload

Edey played only 11 games in 2025–26 as problems with his left ankle interrupted the season. He had surgery in June 2025, returned to play, then developed a stress reaction in December. Another procedure in March ended his season, as Clay Bailey detailed in an October 2 report.

Opening night is the target, not a guarantee

Bailey reported on October 2 that Memphis expected Edey to be ready for its October 21 regular-season opener against Utah. That account also described him as cleared for full-court activity and included general manager Zach Kleiman’s assessment from Monday’s media day that his rehabilitation was on schedule.

Full-court work and clearance for two practices in one day are separate workload decisions. The opening-night expectation does not confirm an unrestricted preseason schedule. Follow the Grizzlies schedule for the upcoming games; a specific availability announcement is still the useful checkpoint for judging Edey’s next appearance.