Grizzlies' wing depth further depleted as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope exits with hamstring soreness, intensifying rotation concerns.
The Memphis Grizzlies saw their growing list of wing injuries expand again Sunday night when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was forced to exit early with right hamstring soreness, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already strained rotation.
Caldwell-Pope was ruled doubtful to return after suffering the injury in the first half of Memphis’ 116-112 road loss to the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. He logged just 11 minutes before heading to the locker room, finishing with four points and one assist.
The early exit marked Caldwell-Pope’s first missed stretch of action this season. He had appeared in every Grizzlies game entering Sunday, providing steady availability amid a year defined by fluctuating lineups.
Caldwell-Pope entered the matchup averaging 8.3 points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 35.3% from three-point range. Those numbers reflected his role as a complementary scorer and secondary playmaker on the perimeter.
Injuries have steadily thinned Memphis’ wing depth in recent weeks. John Konchar remains sidelined with a thumb injury, while Vince Williams Jr. continues to recover from a knee issue.
The Grizzlies are also carefully managing the minutes of Cedric Coward, who has recently dealt with heel soreness. Caldwell-Pope’s potential absence would further compress a rotation already relying on careful workload monitoring.
Despite losing Caldwell-Pope early, Memphis stayed competitive behind strong individual efforts from its core players. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 31 points, continuing his offensive surge.
Ja Morant added 21 points and attacked downhill late as Memphis attempted to erase a fourth-quarter deficit, but the Grizzlies were unable to overcome a decisive run by Washington.
The Wizards seized control with a 26-7 stretch in the fourth quarter, opening a nine-point lead that proved difficult to fully erase. Memphis briefly pulled within one on a Santi Aldama three-pointer with 2:52 remaining.
Washington responded by tightening defensively and closing the game at the free-throw line. Alex Sarr paced the Wizards with 20 points and blocked a career-high six shots, anchoring the interior on both ends.
CJ McCollum added 16 points, including six in the fourth quarter, as Washington earned its first back-to-back victories of the season and completed a second win over Memphis in nine days.
The Wizards also held a significant edge on the glass, outrebounding Memphis 54-42. Justin Champagnie contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds as Washington overcame 19 turnovers.
The loss dropped Memphis to 15-17, keeping the Grizzlies from reaching the .500 mark for the first time since late October. It also mirrored a familiar theme from earlier in the month, when Memphis fell at home to Washington on Dec. 20.
With Caldwell-Pope’s status now uncertain and wing injuries continuing to accumulate, Memphis faces a challenging stretch as it works to stabilize both its health and its place in the standings.
The Grizzlies are scheduled to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, with further updates on Caldwell-Pope’s condition expected as the team evaluates the severity of the hamstring issue.