At 8:30 p.m. Friday, the Memphis Grizzlies will tip off their first national “television” game of the season, on Prime Video, as well as their first contest in this season’s NBA Cup competition.

The opponent is the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Lakers' shootaround at FedExForum on Friday afternoon brought a sight perhaps unwelcome for the Grizzlies and many of their fans: Lakers star Luka Doncic on the court. 

Doncic, who scored 92 points across the Lakers’ first two games this season, had missed his team’s past three due to injury. While combating both a finger sprain and a leg contusion, Doncic didn’t travel for the Lakers’ previous game, in Minnesota on Wednesday. 

Herrington: Three games in, Cedric Coward is already trying our patience

But Doncic was upgraded to “questionable” as he joined the team in Memphis and, after participating in the Lakers’ shootaround, was upgraded to “probable.” Doncic’s L.A. co-star, LeBron James (sciatica), remains out and will miss the Lakers’ only scheduled game in Memphis this season. 

Two other players had their status change on game day: Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II was downgraded to questionable due to illness and former Grizzly Marcus Smart, now with the Lakers, was upgraded to “probable” after missing the past two games with a quad contusion. 

It’s Smart’s first game back in Memphis since being traded (to the Washington Wizards) in February.

“Things just didn’t work out, but they took a chance on me, so I’m thankful for that,” Smart said at shootaround, when asked about his injury-marred time in Memphis.

If Smart plays, chances are the former Defensive Player of the Year will find himself face-to-face with former teammate Ja Morant. 

“We all know the talent that Ja has and what he brings to this game,” Smart said. “When you have a player like that, it’s going to take a full team to make it as tough as you can.” 

‘Call 12,” Lakers version

Smart isn’t the only former Grizzly making his first return Friday night. 

Grizzlies trade Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia in three-team deal

So is Jake LaRavia, who, like Smart, was traded in February to a different team (the Sacramento Kings) but signed with the Lakers via free agency this summer. 

LaRavia is coming back off the strength of one of the best games of his career, scoring 27 points on 10-11 shooting in a 1-point road win over Minnesota.

After wearing No. 3 with the Grizzlies and No. 33 with the Kings, LaRavia has switched to No. 12 with the Lakers. 

Late in Wednesday’s game, a Minnesota fan yelled, loudly, “Who is number 12?” Wolves star Anthony Edwards, out due to injury, raised his arms from the Wolves’ bench and responded, “That’s what I’m saying! I don’t know either!”

Did LaRavia reintroduce himself to Edwards — whom he’d played against before — after helping lead a Lakers road win?

Grizzlies survive Suns comeback with clutch Ja Morant floater

“I did not,” LaRavia said at shootaround. “Hopefully, he would know who I was after the game.”

“Call 12” is, of course, Grizzlies parlance for the clutch exploits of their own No. 12, Morant. 

The Lakers called their own No. 12 on Wednesday, but LaRavia choosing the number is neither an homage to his former teammate nor an attempt to borrow some of that “Call 12” magic.

“I’m just No. 12. It has nothing to do with that. Ja is ‘12’ for sure,” LaRavia said. “There’s a limited amount of numbers with the Lakers. [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s No. 33, for instance, is retired by the franchise.] My wife wore No. 12. That was kind of her number, so I decided to go with 12.” 

LaRavia says playing against the Grizzlies carries no extra meaning for him, having already done that in Sacramento last season.

Feeding the Grizzlies: How a team tradition is supporting one local business

As for coming back to Memphis … 

“I’ve got good memories here,” LaRavia said. “It’s where I started my career, where I got drafted. I built my NBA career out of Memphis, so it’s good to come back (for the) first time.”

Ready and waiting

Two players waiting to be called by the Grizzlies who could make their season debut Friday: Charles Bassey and Vince Williams Jr. 

Bassey, a center, was recently signed via a hardship exception and said he’s had a good few days working with Grizzlies coaches. 

Williams missed part of the preseason and the first four games this season with an injury designation that changed from “heel soreness” to “ankle impingement.” 

As Williams confirmed Friday, it’s all related to the ongoing rehab and recovery from his ankle injury last season. 

“It comes and goes,” Williams said. “I really feel it when I wake up.

“I’m doing well. I had to get my ankles together, but I feel good all-around. 

Grizzlies plan to sign Charles Bassey via hardship exception

Williams said he’s been participating in “play groups with the younger guys,” trying to go “game speed” as best he can in a non-game setting. 

When an opportunity will come is a mystery.

The Grizzlies are down two other guards right now, with Ty Jerome (calf) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (toes) on extended injury absences. But in Williams’ absence two other guards, Cam Spencer and Javon Small, have been in the rotation.

“It puts me in a hard spot, obviously, because I want to play and compete for my teammates,” Williams said. “But I’ve just got to go day by day, try to get healthy and perform when I get the opportunity.” 

Waiting a little longer: Zach Edey, who was seen participating in some small-group basketball activity at the end of shootaround. The Grizzlies have not updated the Edey return timeline since announcing one about a month ago. If that timeline still stands, Edey’s debut will now be somewhere in a 2-5 week window.