Scotty Pippen Jr. Says Toe Recovery Ahead of Schedule for Grizzlies

Scotty Pippen Jr. reports recovering more quickly from his recent toe surgery than from the procedure that delayed his season's start. This suggests that the Memphis Grizzlies guard might finally enjoy a healthy summer to develop his game, something he hasn't experienced in two years.

This matters because Pippen has missed most of the past two seasons due to foot injuries, giving him little time to demonstrate his role in Memphis's future plans. After undergoing surgery on his left big toe before last season, he only debuted in February. He played a few games before having a second surgery on his right toe, which ended his season in March. Overall, he played 10 games, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 assists.

The Grizzlies are rebuilding after a 25-57 season, and they are still sorting out which young players to keep. A 10-game sample provides limited information for the front office to evaluate. This context is the backdrop as Pippen works on recovering.

"It feels good," Pippen told The Commercial Appeal at a youth camp in Bryant, Arkansas, last week. "I'm recovering faster than my last one. This process has been a lot smoother. I'm feeling good."

It's noteworthy that injuries interrupted what was the best stretch of Pippen's career. After going undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2022, he was signed and then waived by the Los Angeles Lakers. Memphis offered him a two-way deal in January 2024, and when the Grizzlies' guards got injured, he took the opportunity. Over 21 games, he averaged 12.9 points with a 49.3% shooting percentage and started the last 6 games of the play-in and playoffs as the team's main perimeter defender. That October, Memphis awarded him a standard four-year contract.

In 2024-25, he was the backup to Ja Morant, appearing in 79 games and achieving a career-best 13 assists against Philadelphia in November. The Grizzlies outperformed their opponents by 11.1 points per 100 possessions when Pippen and Morant played together, demonstrating that his defense and ball pressure enhanced the second unit's challenge for opponents. Despite being 6-foot-1 and somewhat undersized, he averaged 1.3 steals and defended ball handlers full-court—a role quite different from his high-scoring approach in college.

Pippen has spoken before about how close he came to walking away from that climb. He nearly left for overseas basketball during his G League stint, he told CBS Sports in 2024, before a conversation with his father, Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen.

"I kind of just thugged it out and stayed and believed in my NBA dreams," he said, "and I got the call."

Pippen's future remains uncertain. His salary for the next season depends on whether he remains on the roster past July 3, making his position unclear. He has two years left on his contract and can seek an extension in October; however, Memphis is unlikely to pursue one after such a brief season. The Grizzlies will focus on making extension decisions for Jaylen Wells and GG Jackson II.

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