Brandon Clarke to make season debut after Achilles injury

Brandon Clarke will make his 2023-24 NBA season debut against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, according to Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. The 6-foot-8 forward tore his left Achilles on March 3 of last season and hasn’t played since suffering the injury.

The former Gonzaga standout is in his fifth NBA season after being taken with the 21st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Clarke averages 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in his career and has started 29 of his 237 games played. 

Clarke has struggled to stay on the court since he entered the NBA. He hasn’t played more than 64 games in a season due to numerous lower-body injuries, including calf, back and hip problems that date back to 2021.

Still, the Grizzlies see an upside in the 27-year-old. Clarke earned a four-year, $52 million contract extension in the offseason that will pay $12.5 million annually through the 2026-27 season.

The Grizzlies (24-48) have already been eliminated from playoff contention with 10 games left in the regular season, though Clarke’s return is more about building momentum for himself heading into the offseason. The rest of the team isn’t quite the same as when he left it — Memphis has used 43 different starting lineups featuring 29 different players (30 with Clarke healthy) — so the rest of the season feels like a chance for Clarke to prove he still has the same bounce and athleticism that led to an NBA All-Rookie campaign in 2019-20.

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