Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Out for remainder of season
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The Grizzlies announced Friday that Wells (wrist, concussion) has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.
Wells suffered a scary fall on a dunk attempt April 8 against the Hornets, resulting in a fractured right wrist and a concussion. With the playoffs on the horizon, the Grizzlies will undoubtedly miss the 21-year-old rookie, who started 74 games and averaged 10.4 points. Moving forward, Vince Williams slots in as the starting small forward, and reserves Luke Kennard and John Konchar could see more playing time.
Wells supplied 13 points (3-6 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-5 FT) and five rebounds over 28 minutes during Thursday's 125-104 loss to the Thunder.
Wells' numbers have been trending in the wrong direction in recent weeks, and while he's scored in double digits in three of his last five outings, he hasn't cleared the 15-point mark since March 1. The first-year player seems to have hit a rookie wall, as he's averaging a mere 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game despite starting each of Memphis' 14 contests in March.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Productive in loss
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Wells supplied 14 points (4-11 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 3-3 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one steal across 34 minutes during Monday's 132-122 loss to Sacramento.
Wells continues to play a significant role for the Grizzlies on the wings, and he took advantage of some extra usage due to Ja Morant (hamstring) and Santi Aldama (calf) being on the shelf. Wells has been cold in recent games, however, but this was a step in the right direction. Over his last five games, Wells hit 29.3 percent from the field with 6.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 three-pointers.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Starting against Team Shaq
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Wells will start Sunday's All-Star Game semifinal against Shaq's OGs, per NBA broadcast.
Wells and Team Rising Stars won the Rising Stars title and advanced to play in Sunday's All-Star Game tournament. Over his last 10 appearances, Wells has averaged 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 24.2 minutes per contest.
Wells ended with 22 points (8-11 FG, 6-8 3Pt), three rebounds and two assists across 35 minutes during Friday's 140-112 victory over the Spurs.
From an efficiency perspective, Wells had one of his best performances of the season, as the rookie missed just three of his 11 shots while draining six threes, his second-best mark this season. Arguably, his most impressive sequence was a one-legged three-pointer over Victor Wembanyama, and he continued an outstanding stretch of play. Over eight games this month, Wells has scored in double digits five times while averaging 14.1 points per contest.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: First career double-double in win
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Wells posted 17 points (3-11 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 10-11 FT), 11 boards and an assist in 35 minutes of play during Monday's 119-104 win over the Mavericks.
Although Wells struggled to score efficiently, he was able to set a career high in rebounds and did a good job getting to the line. With Ja Morant (shoulder), Desmond Bane (ankle) and Marcus Smart (finger) all sidelined, the guard depth chart is wide open for Wells to command the ball more than he ever has thus far in his young career. However, Morant is week-to-week, Bane is day-to-day and Smart is due to be re-evaluated soon, so it's difficult to tell how long Wells will continue to get this kind of volume.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Modest production Tuesday
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Wells registered 11 points (3-12 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, two assists and one steal over 32 minutes during Tuesday's 117-112 win over Phoenix.
Wells scored in double digits for the third time in the past four games, continuing to provide the Grizzles with serviceable production. After coming off the bench for the first five games of the season, Wells has since been a regular member of the starting lineup. Over the past two months, he has averaged 11.6 points and 1.8 three-pointers in 25.4 minutes per game.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Hits for 16 in Friday's start
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Wells contributed 16 points (5-10 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), four rebounds and two assists across 27 minutes during Friday's 123-118 loss to the Warriors.
Making his eighth straight start, Wells remained surprisingly productive. The 2024 second-round pick has averaged 13.6 points, 3.8 boards, 1.9 threes and 1.6 assists during his stint in the Grizzlies' starting five, but his window for consistent court time is likely about to end as Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart were both in the lineup Friday, albeit coming off the bench, for the first time since Oct. 30. Once both veterans are back up to game speed, Wells should return to the second unit.
Wells contributed 20 points (7-10 FG, 5-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one steal over 28 minutes during Wednesday's 131-114 victory over the Lakers.
Wells has stepped into a starting role with Desmond Bane (oblique) and Marcus Smart (finger) sidelined, but the rookie out of Washington State is showing he belongs in the league. This 20-point output was a season-high mark for him, and it's worth noting he has scored in double digits in three of his four starts. He's not expected to remain a starter on a long-term basis, but he should continue to enjoy a considerable uptick in fantasy as long as Smart and Bane remain out.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Struggles with shot
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Wells contributed six points (3-12 FG, 0-5 3Pt), five rebounds, three assists and one block in 33 minutes during Monday's 106-104 loss to the Nets.
Wells drew another start due to Marcus Smart (ankle) and Desmond Bane (oblique) both being sidelined with injuries. Wells was coming off two strong showings against the Bucks and 76ers, and while he couldn't generate much offensively Monday night, it was encouraging that his workload remained high.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Drops 16 points in first NBA start
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Wells ended with 16 points (5-9 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and one assist across 36 minutes during Thursday's 122-99 win over Milwaukee.
Wells made his first-career NBA start Thursday due to Marcus Smart (ankle) and Desmond Bane (oblique) both being sidelined with injuries. Wells finished the game tied with Scotty Pippen as the Grizzlies' third-leading scorer behind Ja Morant (26) and Santi Aldama (19), and Wells made a team-high three triples in the win. Wells could be in the starting five against the 76ers on Saturday if Bane and Smart continue to sit.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Back to bench
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Wells won't start Monday's preseason game against the Pacers, Michael Wallace of the Grizzlies' official site reports.
With Desmond Bane out for undisclosed reasons, Wells drew a spot start Saturday against the Bulls and scored 24 points in 32 minutes. However, Bane is back, so Wells will come off the bench, though he could still see a sizable role given Ja Morant (ankle) and Marcus Smart (undisclosed) are unlikely to play.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Picks up start Saturday
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Wells will enter the starting five in Saturday's preseason matchup versus the Bulls.
While nothing has been officially announced, Desmond Bane is unlikely to suit up due to rest purposes, paving the way for Wells to start. The 21-year-old is not expected to play a prominent role for the club this season, and he will likely compete for minutes off the bench with John Konchar, Vince Williams (lower leg) and Jake LaRavia.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Game-high 27 points in win
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Wells posted 27 points (9-23 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 6-7 FT), six rebounds, three assists and one steal across 34 minutes in Tuesday's win over the 76ers in the Salt Lake City Summer League.
Wells bounced back from a 1-for-9 performance in the club's Summer League opener Monday by scoring 27 points and hitting the game-winning buzzer-beater Tuesday. While the 20-year-old struggled from the field, he was efficient from beyond the arc and displayed his ability to rack up rebounds. Wells is on a two-way pact with the Grizzlies this upcoming season, and he spent one year at Washington State, during which he averaged 12.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 41.7 percent from three.
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Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells: Inks deal with Memphis
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The Grizzlies signed Wells to a four-year, $7.9 million deal Saturday, Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com reports.
Wells, the No. 39 overall pick in the 2024 Draft, signed a four-year deal with the first two years guaranteed. The 20-year-old spent last year with Washington State, during which he averaged 12.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 41.7 percent from deep.
