He moved to doubtful.

The Memphis Grizzlies upgraded Desmond Bane’s status on the team’s injury report ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets. The switch from out to doubtful typically has been a move the franchise makes when it believes the player will return the following game. 

But if that wasn’t a dead giveaway that Bane was likely to get back on the court, coach Taylor Jenkins said it point blank. They moved Bane, as well as teammate Brandon Clarke, to the G League Memphis Hustle so they could scrimmage before bringing them up. 

“I watched them in five-on-five play. ... It was great. Five quarters of highly competitive basketball came down to the wire,” Jenkins said. “Those guys are just taking the right steps. Talking to Des and Brandon afterwards, it’s been a long time since they’ve played basketball, but they felt good, and they looked good.”

Memphis’ next game is against Oklahoma City on Saturday (7 p.m.) at FedExForum.

Bane hasn’t appeared in a game since Jan. 12, missing 29 straight following a grade 3 ankle sprain in a loss against the Los Angeles Clippers.

He was the last star Grizzlies player to go down for an extended time, further validating to the Memphis front office and coaching staff that this lost season needed to be focused on the development of young talent. The Grizzlies were forced to punt on holding out hope for a playoff appearance. 

So Bane has hardly played with the young players at all this season.

Before Bane and Ja Morant were injured, rookie GG Jackson, a focal point since the start of February, only received minutes in garbage time. He’s excited to get on the court with his star teammate. 

“I will get to relax a little bit,” Jackson joked. 

Bane has also never played with Trey Jemison or Jordan Goodwin, whom the Grizzlies signed to two-way deals this season. Everyone is ready for the offensive help to return. 

“I’m so excited for that,” said Jemison, a Clemson product. “I actually played against Desmond in college when he was at TCU. To be on his team now is amazing.”

Goodwin needs a dentist

During the second quarter of Wednesday’s game, Goodwin appeared to spit something into his hand and toss it toward the sideline.

A team representative under the basket raced over and picked it up with a towel from beneath a courtside seat, then took it back to the Grizzlies training staff. 

“I hit my jaw and I chipped my tooth,” Goodwin said after the game. “I tried to put it on the sideline. They went over and got it. So, fortunately, I got it back.”

Goodwin said he was bleeding a little bit from the blow to the face, but he stayed in the game and continued playing.

Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart probably would have done the same thing. Goodwin finds it interesting that he and Smart are on the same roster, considering he once envisioned himself as a similar player. 

Smart’s college coach at Oklahoma State, Travis Ford, also coached Goodwin at St. Louis University years later. 

During the recruiting process, Ford showed Goodwin a highlight tape comparing the styles of the two players. It sold him to follow in Smart’s footsteps. 

“I watched Marcus and that whole Oklahoma State team when I was younger,” Goodwin said. “I just didn’t know who Coach Ford was at the time.”

So long before they were Grizzlies teammates, Smart and Goodwin were familiar with each other. Ford had put them in touch. 

Now Smart is trying to help Goodwin develop by teaching from the bench while he deals with a finger injury.

“He gives me that big-brother feel,” Goodwin said. “To have him talk to me now while I’m out there, giving me tips on offense and defense, has been a blessing.”

Kennard gets them ready

Luke Kennard has had the same pair of shoes sitting in his locker for several weeks now. 

It is a special player-exclusive version of Morant’s Nike Ja 1 signature sneakers. They are white and feature the Duke Logo, where Kennard played in college. 

Several Duke basketball players have worn an exclusive version of the Ja 1 line this season. They were gifted the shoes in blue and black. 

“I told Ja that I needed them, because I saw Duke post them,” Kennard said. “When I told him I need them, he just asked what size I wore.”

Kennard said it was a “very quick” turnaround before Morant had a pair sitting in his teammate’s locker. It took three days. 

“I’m going to start wearing them to practice a little bit to break them in,” Kennard said. 

He may wear them in a game soon. 

So give Morant, out for the season following shoulder surgery, one more assist. 

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