Grizzlies carefully rebuild Scotty Pippen Jr.'s game conditioning after surgery, prioritizing long-term health with incremental minutes.
The Memphis Grizzlies are taking a deliberate approach with Scotty Pippen Jr.’s return, prioritizing long-term durability over short-term production after the point guard missed much of the 2025-26 season following left big toe surgery.
Pippen, a 6-foot-2 guard in his third NBA season, underwent a sesamoidectomy on Oct. 18, 2025 — a procedure involving the removal of a sesamoid bone in his left big toe — to address a lingering issue. The Grizzlies initially projected a recovery timeline of roughly 12 weeks, but he did not appear at the start of the regular season and remained sidelined through the first half while rehabbing.
In January, Memphis indicated he was still several weeks away from returning as he completed the final stages of rehabilitation. The organization later assigned him to its G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, to rebuild game conditioning before clearing him for NBA action. Since returning, Pippen has continued to sit out portions of back-to-backs under “left great toe injury management.”
Following Monday’s 123-114 loss to the Sacramento Kings, coach Tuomas Iisalo emphasized that Pippen’s workload is being carefully managed. Pippen started and logged 22 minutes against Sacramento, finishing with six points, eight assists and five steals. He went 0-for-8 from the field and committed seven turnovers.
“He missed basically the whole summer because of the injury,” Iisalo said. “Then he missed about six months after that. He’s working himself into game shape. He’s one of those guys who wanted to come back as soon as possible. We’re trying to incrementally increase his minutes so we don’t destroy his body at this point. But Scotty’s making progress, just like everybody else.”
The nature of the injury makes a gradual buildup necessary. The sesamoid bones, located beneath the big toe joint, play a critical role in weight distribution and push-off mechanics. For guards who rely on acceleration, deceleration and lateral movement, managing that stress during recovery is essential.
Pippen, born Nov. 10, 2000, in Portland, Oregon, entered the league in 2022 after playing collegiately at Vanderbilt. He is the son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and has appeared in 111 career NBA games, including 105 with Memphis. For his career, he is averaging 10.1 points and 4.3 assists in 21.1 minutes per game while shooting 47.7% from the field and 39.7% from 3-point range.
In limited action this season, Pippen is averaging 11.2 points and 5.4 assists in 20.6 minutes per game across five appearances. While his rhythm remains uneven after the extended layoff, Memphis’ focus remains on durability rather than immediate impact.
The Grizzlies’ roster direction — shaped by injuries and a developmental emphasis — allows the organization to prioritize sustainability over urgency. For Memphis, the priority is clear: ensure Pippen exits the season healthy and positioned for a full offseason program rather than overextending him in the short term.