Chandler Parsons finally returned to Grizzlies lineup Friday in loss to Clippers

·Staff writer

22 February 2019 at 10:44 pm

After nearly four months of uncertainty, Memphis Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons finally returned to the court on Friday night.

Parsons, playing in his first game since Oct. 22, finished with three points and two rebounds in the Grizzlies 112-106 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at FexEx Forum on Friday night.

The 30-year-old had played in just three games this season for the Grizzlies while dealing with swelling in his right knee. He has played just 73 games total for Memphis since he signed with them in 2016, and has had season-ending knee injuries or surgeries in each of his last four seasons.

Even though he didn’t make a tremendous impact in the game — he played just 19 minutes and shot 1-of-7 from the field, his only bucket coming from a 3-pointer — Parsons still received a fairly warm welcome upon checking into the game for the first time in months.

Some boos. But definitely some cheers, too, as Chandler Parsons checks in for the first time since October. pic.twitter.com/c6Sded5Kth
— David Cobb (@DavidWCobb) February 23, 2019

The Clippers took control of the game early, and built a 22-point lead in the first half. Memphis, though, opened the second half on a huge 19-4 run to tie the game near the midway point of the third quarter.

Despite Memphis’ best efforts, though, the Clippers held on to grab the six-point win.

Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 25 points and 10 assists, shooting 7-of-16 from the field. Joakim Noah finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Avery Bradley added 17 points.

Montrezl Harrell led the Clippers with 30 points off the bench, shooting 11-of-14 from the field. Danilo Gallinari finished with 23 points and eight rebounds, and Lou Williams added 18 points off the bench. They were the only three to score in double figures.

Memphis forward Chandler Parsons made his return to the court on Friday night for the first time since October. (AP/Brandon Dill)

Parsons’ standoff with the front office

Before the two sides reconciled, it looked as if Parsons wasn’t going to be playing for the Grizzlies again this season — if at all.

Parsons was medically cleared to play on Dec. 21, but the Grizzlies did not want to play him.

“The most confusing part for me is I’m healthy,” Parsons told the Commercial Appeal last month. “I’m medically cleared by the people I work with every single day, that are experts at this kind of stuff, so it’s frustrating to watch a team struggle and I’m sitting there on the bench healthy, dying to play.”

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace reportedly wanted him to play multiple games with their G League team before returning to their active roster. This disagreement was reportedly the final straw.

Parsons and the Grizzlies then finally agreed to part ways in January while his agents and the team’s front office could work out a trade for him — which many expected to go down this season.

No love lost

Yet the two sides finally worked it out and targeted Memphis’ first game back from the All-Star break for Parsons’ return.

“When he does come back, he’s a part of the team like anybody else,” Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff told the Commercial Appeal before the game. “We are intending to compete and play well down the stretch and see what happens. Anybody that can help us do that is going to play and be a part of what we’re doing.”

Parsons is in the third year of his four-year deal with the Grizzlies, and is still owed nearly more than $38 million. And even though many expected he’d be traded, Parsons said he wasn’t specifically hoping that would happen.

“This is just as new a start as going to a new team, except that I’m familiar with the city, familiar with the coaching staff, the defensive terminology,” Parsons told the Commercial Appeal. “I wanted to play. I’ve wanted to play since I was cleared two months ago. That hasn’t changed. I chose to come here, and I still want to be here. I wasn’t going to just stay in L.A. and watch my team play for the last six weeks of the season. I was going to come, and that’s that.”

Despite appearances, however, Parsons insisted he has no issues with the Grizzlies coaches or players.

In fact, they’re one of his favorites among coaching staffs he’s played for.

“We all like each other,” he told the Commercial Appeal. “It’s a little different now with some of these new guys that I haven’t seen very often. But coaching staff-wise, it’s one of my favorite coaching staffs. Teammates, we have great guys on the team. So I’ve never had any issues with anybody down here.”