Grizzlies center Steven Adams is expected to miss the postseason due to an injured right knee, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Adams has been out for the last few months after he suffered a PCL sprain in his knee in a January game. According to Wojnarowski, Adams received a stem cell injection last month as part of his treatment.
In his second season with Memphis, Adams played in 42 games and averaged 8.5 points and a career-high 11.5 rebounds per game, the second straight season where he averaged double-digit rebounds.
To try and add some depth with Adams out, the Grizzlies are signing forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. to a four-year, $7 million contract ahead of the playoffs. The team waived rookie Kennedy Chandler to create the roster spot, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Grizzlies are currently 51–30, and are likely to finish the regular season with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. If that remains the case after Sunday, Memphis will play the winner of the play-in game, which will probably feature two of the Lakers, Clippers and Pelicans.