Grizzlies Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr injury updates, plus Luke Kennard 'might' miss time

Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. stayed on the floor after Memphis Grizzlies practice on Wednesday inside FedExForum to get extra work in four-on-four drills.

Bane is the only one of those three players who has not had an injury in the preseason, but all signs are positive on his two All-Star teammates.

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant and Jackson are still on track to be ready for the season opener versus the Utah Jazz on Oct. 23. As for the preseason finale on Friday against the Miami Heat, Jenkins hasn't ruled out Morant or Jackson just yet.

"We'll see how practice goes (Thursday) and then I'll just make a decision," Jenkins said.

Morant left the Grizzlies' first preseason game with ankle soreness. Jackson suffered what Jenkins called a "low-grade hamstring strain" during the team's first practice in Nashville.

Luke Kennard added to Grizzlies injury list

Grizzlies sharpshooter Luke Kennard is the latest player added to the injury report. Jenkins revealed Kennard is dealing with foot soreness from Monday's game versus the Indiana Pacers.

Kennard only played six minutes and scored three points before exiting the game. Now, his availability for the beginning of the season is in question

"We're getting that evaluated, but there's a chance he might miss a little time," Jenkins said. "I don't know what the timeline is, though."

In other Grizzlies injury news, Cam Spencer (ankle), GG Jackson (foot surgery) and Vince Williams Jr. (shin stress reaction) all remain out and will not be available at the beginning of the season.

Scotty Pippen Jr contract a 'sense of relief'

The jokes are starting to come in now that Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. has secured a new four-year contract with the Grizzlies. Bane said his first regular season dinner in Utah will be on Pippen, and other teammates have gotten in on the jokes, too.

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Pippen called it "a dream come true" and "a sense of relief" finally getting a standard contract with the Grizzlies. He first signed with Memphis to a two-way deal in January. Pippen felt that there was an opportunity to crack the roster, but he had to show it through the end of last season, summer league and preseason.

"Finally feeling happy, finally feeling like I made it," Pippen said. "It's kind of been trending that way. It definitely was on my mind for a little while, so it was definitely good to get that off my shoulders."

Pippen will now likely slide into the backup point guard role previously occupied by Tyus Jones and Derrick Rose. In case there was any thought that Pippen would lose his edge after signing the new deal, he affirmed to Jenkins that he has more to give.

"He has absolutely earned it," Jenkins said. ""He's really impressed us with how he's carried himself on the floor. . . . He's fired up about just continuing to grow and being a part of this thing we're building," Jenkins said.

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com . Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr injury updates, plus Luke Kennard 'might' miss time