Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane Out vs. Kawhi Leonard, Clippers with Ankle Injury

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIJanuary 13, 2024

Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

The Memphis Grizzlies announced that guard Desmond Bane suffered a left ankle sprain against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday evening.

The injury occurred after Bane accidentally stepped on Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard’s foot as he drove to the basket with just over five minutes left in the third quarter.

Bally Sports: Grizzlies @GrizzOnBallyDesmond Bane leaving the court after suffering an ankle injury. pic.twitter.com/J5ANWB8bZX

The 25-year-old Bane averaged 24.7 points on 47.7 percent shooting, 5.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game in his fourth NBA season.

No NBA team has had worse injury luck this season than the Grizzlies.

Ja Morant is out for the season with a labral tear in his right shoulder. Marcus Smart will miss approximately six weeks with a severe right ring finger injury. Steven Adams will miss the entire season with a sprained PCL in his right knee. Brandon Clarke has yet to make his season debut after suffering a torn Achilles last March. Derrick Rose is week-to-week with a left hamstring strain.

And now Bane will assuredly be out for a period of time with the ankle sprain. It’s been impossible for the Grizzlies to be at their best or play with any level of continuity due to the unfortunate and unlucky series of ailments, to the point where 15 different players have already started games for the team this year.

Memphis now sits 14-24 and 13th in the Western Conference after a 128-119 loss to the Clips on Friday. Given the team’s health, it’s hard seeing the Grizz making any run to the playoffs, especially with a superstar in Morant lost for the season.

Still, this scrappy team keeps on fighting and will continue to do so Saturday when they host the New York Knicks.