Scotty Pippen Jr. Injury Update: Toe Surgery & Return Timeline

If you’ve been scanning Memphis Grizzlies box scores and wondering why one name keeps surfacing on the injury report, you’re not alone. Scotty Pippen Jr., the guard who turned a two-way contract into meaningful minutes, is now sidelined by a right big toe issue that required surgery.

Age: 25 (born November 10, 2000) ·
Height: 6’2″ ·
Weight: 170 lbs ·
Team: Memphis Grizzlies ·
Position: Guard ·
College: Vanderbilt

Six facts that define the young guard’s current situation:

What happened to Scottie Pippen Jr.?

Sesamoidectomy procedure

• Pippen was diagnosed with ongoing discomfort in his right big toe, prompting a sesamoidectomy — a surgery to remove one of the two small sesamoid bones beneath the joint (ESPN).
• The Memphis Grizzlies official team site confirmed the procedure in a medical update, stating Pippen would miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season but is expected to make a full recovery before the 2026-27 campaign.
• Notably, Hoops Rumors described the injury as involving the left big toe, creating a discrepancy with the right-toe reports from ESPN and the team.

Recovery timeline

• ESPN’s initial report on October 18, 2025, indicated a minimum 12-week recovery window (ESPN).
• By March 17, 2026, the Grizzlies’ official statement confirmed that the guard would not return for the rest of the season (Memphis Grizzlies team medical update).
• The discrepancy between a 12-week timeline and a season-ending diagnosis suggests either a slower-than-expected healing process or complications.

Why isn’t Scotty Pippen Jr. playing?

Injury details

• The absence is directly linked to the sesamoidectomy procedure announced in October 2025 (ESPN).
• NBA insider Michael Scotto reported via X social media post by Marc J. Spears that the surgery addressed “ongoing discomfort” in the toe, though the foot side remains contested among sources.
• The Hoops Rumors report on October 21, 2025, stated a minimum 12-week absence, but the team’s later update ruled him out for the entire season.

Impact on Grizzlies rotation

• Pippen had carved out a role as a backup guard, offering energy and defense. His absence leaves the Grizzlies thinner at the position behind Ja Morant and Desmond Bane (NBA.com).
• The team has not indicated any plans to fill his spot via free agency, suggesting they are comfortable with internal options while he recovers.

The implication: Memphis gains cap flexibility while Pippen’s guaranteed salary sits on the books, but they lose a developmental piece who was just finding his NBA footing.

What is Scotty Pippen Jr’s salary?

Contract type: two-way turned standard

• Pippen originally signed a two-way contract with the Grizzlies for the 2024-25 season, but his performance earned him a standard four-year, $9.6 million deal (Fanspo contract tracking site).
• For the 2025-26 season, his salary is $2,270,735, fully guaranteed (Legit.ng and confirmed by Times of India).
• According to SalarySwish NBA salary tracker, his 2026-27 salary rises to $2,461,462, with further increases in subsequent years.

Earnings comparison

• Fanspo’s full contract breakdown shows annual figures: ~$2.0M (2024), $2.2M (2025), $2.4M (2026), and $2.7M (2027) (Fanspo).
• This puts Pippen Jr. well below the NBA average salary (~$10M) but solidly above the two-way minimum (~$0.5M per year).
• Last Word On Sports analysis blog speculated that if Pippen returns healthy, he could command a contract in the $15 million to $20 million range — though that projection carries low confidence given his injury uncertainty.

The catch: Pippen’s current deal is a bet on future production. The injury pause freezes that bet for at least one year, but the guaranteed money gives him financial stability during recovery.

Timeline of events

• 2024-25 season: Pippen signs a two-way contract with the Grizzlies and earns a standard deal after strong play.
• October 18, 2025: ESPN reports that Pippen will undergo a sesamoidectomy and miss at least 12 weeks (ESPN).
• October 21, 2025: Hoops Rumors confirms the surgery, noting the injury as left big toe (Hoops Rumors).
• March 17, 2026: Grizzlies medical update rules Pippen out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season (Memphis Grizzlies).
• 2026-27 season: Expected full recovery and return to action.

The pattern: from initial optimism (12-week recovery) to a full season loss — a reminder that foot surgeries in basketball often require more time than first projected.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

Expert perspectives

Scotty Pippen Jr. will undergo a sesamoidectomy to address ongoing discomfort in his right big toe.

— ESPN, October 18, 2025

Pippen is expected to miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season but is anticipated to make a full recovery in advance of the 2026-27 season.

— Memphis Grizzlies official medical update, March 17, 2026

Pippen recently signed a four-year, $9.6 million contract that runs through the 2027-28 season.

— Fanspo NBA contract tracker

For the Memphis Grizzlies, the choice is clear: invest in Pippen’s rehab and hope he returns to the two-way spark who showed promise, or use his guaranteed salary slot as a trade chip. For Pippen himself, the decision is simpler — heal fully, or risk a career that never reaches its potential.

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Scotty Pippen Jr. is navigating a challenging season after toe surgery, while off the court, Scottie Pippens family dynamics continue to draw media attention.

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