NBA Notes: Grizzlies, Ja Morant, Magic, Paolo Banchero, Knicks

Grizzlies

Ja Morant is inching closer, even if he is not quite there yet. The Grizzlies star has been out since November 15 with a right calf strain, but he has begun participating in drills, head coach Tuomas Iisalo said, via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

It is not full speed. It is not contact. But it is progress.

“He’s already moving and able to do some things with the team, so looking positive,” Iisalo said.

Morant is considered day to day as he continues working through the final steps of his recovery.

Memphis will still be short on point guard depth even when Morant returns. Scotty Pippen Jr. remains out with a toe issue. Ty Jerome is sidelined with a calf injury. Javon Small is dealing with a toe injury of his own.

So the Grizzlies may get their star back soon, but they will still be thin behind him.

Magic

Paolo Banchero might finally be close. The Magic forward has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game against Miami, first reported by Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel and later confirmed by the team.

Banchero has missed 10 straight games with a left groin strain, and the upgrade comes as a bit of a surprise.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Wednesday the former No. 1 pick was still limited to non-contact work. Something clearly shifted since then.

“At the end of the day, we always try to see how he’s responding to each day and how he recovers that next day after he’s gone through treatments and workouts,” Mosley said.

Banchero himself said back on November 23 that he was “definitely feeling close.” Orlando has kept things afloat without him, going 7-3 and pushing its record to 13-9.

He is eligible for a Rose Rule payday if he makes All-NBA. To do that, he needs 65 appearances. For that to happen, he needs to get back soon.

Knicks

OG Anunoby is also trending in the right direction. The Knicks forward has been listed as questionable for Friday’s matchup with the Jazz, per Steve Popper of Newsday.

Anunoby has missed nine games with a strained left hamstring but has checked every box recently. He was cleared for controlled contact and three-on-three work over the weekend.

He took full contact on Wednesday, head coach Mike Brown said, via James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Anunoby was playing some of the best basketball of his career before the injury. He averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals in 11 games while shooting nearly 40 percent from three.

The Knicks are 14-7 and have held steady at 6-3 without him. Getting him back only elevates their ceiling.