Zach Edey and Tuomas Iisalo both had big smiles on their faces after the Memphis Grizzlies finished their Oct. 7 preseason game against the Orlando Magic.
The smiles came for different reasons.
Neither was smiling because the Grizzlies played great or won. They lost 122-118 in their preseason home opener at FedExForum.
The smiles came from checked boxes.
At this point in the preseason, the Grizzlies are looking for small victories as they take steps toward their goal of building a team capable of surprising naysayers.
For Edey, it was about getting back on an NBA court for the first time since December 2025. For Iisalo, it was seeing his team compete at a high level and remain within striking distance of a win despite not playing its best basketball.
Both smiles represented areas that still need improvement, but also positives the Grizzlies can highlight this early in the 2026-27 season.
Iisalo’s optimism
The Grizzlies trailed by as many as 18 points in the first quarter. They couldn’t make shots and struggled to deal with Orlando’s pace and physicality.
Memphis absorbed the blows, and by the end of the second quarter, it was a three-point game.
That comeback didn’t come because the Grizzlies suddenly turned into flamethrowers. They shot 48% from the field and made five 3-pointers in the second quarter.
Iisalo didn’t believe the Grizzlies were playing well. He thought Orlando was.
“Then I check the scoreboard and it’s basically tied, which speaks to what our guys have been able to accomplish in a small amount of time,” Iisalo said. “Even when we’re not playing great, we weren’t making shots, we find a way to stick around.”
Iisalo called the night “encouraging.”
Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells and Cam Boozer each played more than 22 minutes after playing less than 20 in the first preseason game. Ty Jerome scored a team-high 17 points and added four assists in 19 minutes.
Boozer continued to show promise, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds while knocking down two 3-pointers.
Memphis will be back in action on Oct. 9 on the road against the Chicago Bulls (7 p.m. CT, DAZN).
Zach Edey gets first game action
Edey and the Grizzlies have emphasized that the regular season is the goal for his availability, but he said he wanted to play in preseason games.
That box was checked when he suited up for 10 minutes of first-half action. He finished with two points and four rebounds.
The performance wasn’t statistically impressive, but that wasn’t the goal. Edey playing in the game and feeling good afterward was the priority.
“Obviously very rusty,” Iisalo said. “You can see that he hasn’t played in nine months.”
“What it’s been, like nine months?” Edey said. “I was ready to go . . . The plan was always to play some preseason games, try to get my wind back, try to get my timing back.”
With that part finished, it’s time for the next steps. He will continue to round into form alongside his teammates. Even in his limited action, he admitted to being winded.
As he gets into game shape and knocks off the rust, Edey should move closer to his best form.
“I felt good moving around,” he said. “I felt good laterally and jumping. My timing might have been a little bit off. My wind wasn’t fully there, but I felt good moving for sure.”
Boozer and Coward both mentioned noticing Edey’s presence while he was on the floor. Coward played with Edey last season, when the 7-foot-4 center put together the best 11-game stretch of his career.
It’s safe to say Coward believes that version of Edey will return in due time.
“I’m telling you, just give him some time,” Coward said. “Zach Edey is Zach Edey for a reason. Just give it some time and he’ll show people why.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies find positives as Zach Edey checks off first preseason game
