3 Questions Zach Edey Must Answer for the Grizzlies in 2026-27

The 2026-27 season feels like a big one for Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey.

The 24-year-old has looked like a potential long-term fixture for Memphis at times across his first two seasons in the NBA, but it hasn't always been picture perfect. After all, he was limited to just 11 appearances last season.

If he wants to inspire confidence among observers when it comes to his future, he can do so by checking a few boxes in the 2026-27 campaign.

Here are a few questions to keep in mind during the big man's third year at the NBA level.

There's no way around it: Edey's health is perhaps the biggest question standing between him and a successful career.

As a rookie, he missed a stretch early on due to a left ankle injury, but he was able to overcome it and make 66 appearances as part of a strong debut campaign. Ankle injuries had previously given him trouble in Summer League action.

After his rookie campaign, he underwent left ankle surgery, which sidelined him for the start of his sophomore campaign. He then returned for 11 games — 11 very impressive games — before going on the shelf again with more left ankle trouble. It kept him out for the remainder of the season.

He underwent a second left ankle operation in March. As of now, he's cleared for full-court, full-speed activity and is expected to be ready for the start of the 2026-27 season. But the ankle history is incredibly concerning, and it's something he's going to have to keep in the past in order to prove that he can be trusted as a reliable starting center.

Some players have several years of NBA experience by the time they're 24. Edey does not.

As a result of his four-year career at Purdue and poor injury history at the NBA level, Edey is a 24-year-old with just 77 games of NBA experience in two seasons.

By the time incoming rookie Cameron Boozer, currently 19, turns 24, he will hopefully have hundreds of games of experience under his belt. But until then, he is going to need people to help him transition to life as a big man in the NBA.

Can Edey provide value there, even though he's still learning how to be a pro himself? The Grizzlies can hope.

There are layers to this. On one hand, Edey and Boozer will need to learn how to share the floor. Hopefully, that won't take long, as they have the potential to be an ideal fit as frontcourt partners. But if there are growing pains in their development as a duo, it would be great to see Edey lead the way.

Meanwhile, beyond the fit, Edey may be able to impart some valuable wisdom to the 19-year-old. Edey has been through some adversity early in his NBA career. He knows what it's like to come into the league as a high pick and navigate expectations. He also knows that there are nuances to the pro game that a rookie has no way of knowing right away.

In some ways, this season is all about Boozer. If Edey can make his life a little bit easier, that's a big step.

As a rookie, Edey averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 58.0% from the field.

In his limited action last season, there was obvious growth, as he averaged 13.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game on 63.3% shooting.

That alone is valuable production if he can stay healthy. But one thing better than a double-double threat is a double-double threat who can space the floor.

The 7-foot-3 giant has shown a willingness to pull the trigger from 3-point range from time to time, as he's 19-for-57 (33.3%) in his NBA career. That, however, leaves plenty of room for growth.

One NBA scout this offseason expressed curiosity about whether Edey will start shooting 3s and whether he can do so efficiently. The scout suggested that, as an opponent, it would be better to let the big man shoot than have him in the paint, where he's dominant on the glass.

But if Edey can start taking and making 3s at a high enough clip, teams will have no choice but to start worrying about that aspect of his game. It's another way he can become a problem for defenses, and it's something to keep an eye on in his third season and beyond.