Isaiah Stewart suffered a left ankle injury during the Memphis Grizzlies’ preseason opener against the Atlanta Hawks on October 6, 2026, forcing the newly acquired center to miss the start of the NBA regular season. NBAmaniacs reported that the Grizzlies announced an initial recovery timeline of at least two weeks, with a scheduled re-evaluation window set for October 24-25, ruling him out for the team’s opening stretch.
Preseason Opener Injury at the FedExForum
The 6-foot-8, 250-pound center logged just two minutes and collected one rebound before exiting the game during the first quarter, according to Hoops Wire. Stewart landed on an opposing player’s foot, took a hard fall, and limped directly to the locker room. Memphis initially listed him as doubtful to return before ruling him out for the remainder of the 132-123 victory over Atlanta. Because the incident occurred during the preseason, the organization opted against rushing the veteran back onto the floor, setting up a cautious rehabilitation process overseen by the medical staff. The Grizzlies’ next preseason game comes Wednesday against the Magic.
Frontcourt Depth Behind Zach Edey
Stewart arrived in Memphis via a June trade from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for three future second-round picks, as ESPN first reported. The front office targeted the 25-year-old big man to establish a physical identity alongside fellow centers Zach Edey and rookie Cam Boozer. General manager Zach Kleiman explicitly cited Stewart’s toughness during media sessions, noting that the organization specifically sought out his defensive mindset to set the right tone for the locker room. Last season with Detroit, Stewart averaged 10 points, five rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 58 games. Oh, 100 percent,
Stewart said.
Embracing the Grit and Grind Identity
During his introductory media availability, Stewart leaned directly into the franchise’s historical ethos. When you think of Memphis for me it’s the grit and grind, and I thought I made a career off that,
Stewart told reporters. Coming off six seasons with the Detroit Pistons, who selected him as the No. 16 pick in the 2020 draft, Stewart enters the campaign with the Grizzlies as a way to redeem himself and with the certainty that the team counts on him, which is very important after realizing that in the Michigan organization he had ended up becoming a mere trade piece. Now, he believes Memphis has the ability to do the same. It don’t happen overnight,
Stewart said. I feel like we have the right group to do that, and I’m looking forward to continuing the build.
Medical Re-Evaluation and Schedule Outlook
With the regular season beginning roughly ten days after the October 6 injury, the Grizzlies confirmed that Stewart will not be available for opening night. The team’s medical staff plans to re-examine his left ankle around October 24 or 25 to determine when he can resume basketball activities. Until then, Memphis will rely on its remaining frontcourt depth as the team navigates the opening games of the 2026-27 NBA campaign.
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