When the Memphis Grizzlies open training camp on Sep. 27, Marc Gasol will be a full participant.
Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal reports the All-Star center has been cleared to play after recovering from a broken right foot.
Gasol missed 30 regular-season games and was out for the playoffs after breaking his foot in February. According to Tillery, the Grizzlies are “upbeat” about the 31-year-old returning from an injury that is tough to come back from for big men.
Via Tillery:
There have been mixed results with big men returning from the injury over the past 15 seasons. Joel Embiid, a former Kansas Jayhawk, has yet to play in the NBA after suffering a midfoot fracture. Former Rockets center Yao Ming had a midfoot fracture during the 2008-09 season at age 29, and the injury essentially ended his career. Former NBA big men Brendan Haywood, Michael Olowokandi and Eric Montross never recovered.
Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is one of the success stories. The Griz believe they have every reason to believe that Gasol will be a positive exception, too.
Gasol is entering the second year of a five-year, maximum-salary contract that will pay him $21 million in 2016-17. He joins point guard Mike Conley and forward Chandler Parsons as players the Grizzlies have devoted max contracts to.
