What happened to Scotty Pippen Jr.? Latest injury update on Grizzlies guard after exiting game vs Pelicans (February 12)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. exited Monday’s home matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans and did not return. Per Grizzlies PR, he was ruled out due to lower back soreness.

Pippen finished with six points, three rebounds, six assists, one block and two 3-pointers on 28.6% shooting in 25 minutes. Upon his exit, the Grizzlies (18-36) lost 96-87 after trailing by as many as 25 points. The defeat marked their ninth straight, the NBA’s longest active losing streak.

While Pippen’s injury doesn’t appear to be severe, it marks another blow for an already shorthanded Memphis squad. The Grizzlies entered Monday’s contest with seven players listed on their injury report, including most of their starters. So, Pippen marks their eighth sidelined player.

The 23-year-old signed a two-year two-way contract with Memphis last month. Despite not being a regular roster member, Pippen has taken on a substantial workload amid the Grizzlies’ plethora of injuries. He has started in four games thus far, including his last two, providing Memphis with versatile guard play.

Through eight games, Pippen is averaging 10.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.6 3s per game on 47.5% shooting.

It remains to be seen if Scotty Pippen Jr. will miss additional time due to his back soreness. If he does, veteran sharpshooter Luke Kennard will likely take on an increased workload.

Memphis next hosts the Houston Rockets (24-29) on Wednesday.

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Scotty Pippen Jr. could earn permanent spot in Grizzlies’ rotation

Scotty Pippen Jr.’s two-way contract with Memphis marks his second opportunity to establish himself as an NBA-caliber player.

After going undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2022, Pippen earned a two-way contract with the LA Lakers. However, he played sparingly (5.3 minutes per game) over six appearances with LA last season. The 23-year-old averaged just 2.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.3 apg and 0.3 spg on 33.3% shooting before being waived in October.

However, he flashed potential with the NBA G League's South Bay Lakers earlier this season, earning him his next NBA opportunity with the Grizzlies.

Over five games with South Bay, Pippen averaged 18.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 6.6 apg, 3.0 spg, 1.0 bpg and 1.0 3pg on 42.6% shooting.

The Grizzlies’ season already appears to be a lost cause, as they sit just 13th in the Western Conference after 54 games. So they will likely use their remaining 28 games to scout potential rotation players for next season.

Thus, once he gets healthy, Pippen should have a prime opportunity to prove he belongs in Memphis long-term.

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