Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane has Grade 3 ankle sprain, out at least 6 weeks
The Memphis Grizzlies, already desperately shorthanded, have lost yet another starter for an extended period of time.
Desmond Bane has a Grade 3 left ankle sprain and will be reevaluated in six weeks, the Grizzlies announced Sunday night. He injured the ankle during Friday's loss to the LA Clippers.
Jake LaRavia, who suffered an ankle injury in Saturday's loss to the New York Knicks, was diagnosed with a Grade 2 high left ankle sprain and will be reevaluated in three weeks, the Grizzlies said.
Those two updates add to a laundry list of injuries that have plagued the Grizzlies and derailed a season that began with high expectations. Steven Adams, who had knee surgery, was ruled out for the season just before the opener. Ja Morant, who helped the Grizzlies go 6-3 after his return from a 25-game suspension, is out for the season because of a shoulder injury.
Bane has been one of the constants in the Memphis lineup, averaging 24.4 points per game and often serving as the top scoring option. LaRavia has played sparingly for the Grizzlies this season and also spent time with the Memphis Hustle of the G League.
And those aren't the only injuries. Brandon Clarke hasn't played all season as he recovers from an Achilles injury. Marcus Smart, who had been sidelined earlier this season because of a foot injury, suffered a ruptured tendon in a finger in a Jan. 9 win over the Mavericks and was ruled out for at least six weeks. Derrick Rose has been in and out of the lineup all season and is currently out with a left hamstring strain.
That leaves the Grizzlies with nearly their entire first-choice rotation out with injuries. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama are both listed as questionable for Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. Day game (5 p.m., TNT) at FedExForum against the Golden State Warriors.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies' Desmond Bane out 6 weeks with Grade 3 ankle sprain
