The high-profile homecoming for Jaren Jackson Jr. will not materialize.

When the Memphis Grizzlies sent the veteran forward to the Utah Jazz shortly before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, they realized the schedule-makers had built in an intriguing mid-February matchup.

But when the Grizzlies play the visiting Jazz on Friday, Jackson will not be in uniform. The former Defensive Player of the Year, in his eighth NBA season, underwent successful surgery earlier this week in Salt Lake City to remove a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) growth from his left knee. A physical performed after the trade revealed the growth.

Jackson, the league’s top defender in 2022-23, will be out for at least four weeks, according to the Jazz, and could return to the court later this season.

In his team debut on Feb. 7 against the Orlando Magic, he had 22 points, three assists and three steals in 25 minutes. He is averaging 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 48 games, all but three with the Grizzlies.

Jackson, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. went from the Grizzlies to the Jazz on Feb. 3. Memphis received Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three first-round draft picks.

Utah coach Will Hardy has only worked with Jackson briefly, but he said the Jazz knew the quality person and player they were getting.

“When we traded for Jaren, obviously there is so much talk about (Jaren) the player,” Hardy said. “And I’m very excited about the player. But what we are trying to build as an organization and a program, Jaren’s character, and who he is as a person, is just as important.

“That has been evident since the day that he (joined the Jazz). He is a high-character guy. He has a good sense of humor. He also has a respect level that comes with him because of how he has played during his career.”

Letting go of another key member of the Grizzlies’ core was difficult for Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman, but it could be a move that pays dividends.

“We felt good about the return (for Jackson) and we felt it healthier for the organization to turn the page as much as we were able to and be able to build this team with a clear mind as to what we’re trying to achieve going forward, which is pivoting to a younger build,” Kleiman said. “We’re not shying away from that. That’s where this team is.”

While the Grizzlies adjust to life without Jackson for the first time since he was taken with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 draft, they are hoping to snap a four-game losing streak without star guard Ja Morant.

Sidelined with a left elbow sprain since Jan. 23, Morant missed the team’s last 11 games and is expected to miss another two weeks. He has only appeared in 20 games because of a variety of injuries.

With Morant out, guard Ty Jerome recently returned from a right calf injury that had him unavailable from the start of the season. In his six games back, Jerome has averaged 19.7 points in 20.2 minutes.

Other contributions have come from Jaylen Wells, Cam Spencer and Cedric Coward, who were selected to play in last Friday’s Rising Stars mini-tournament at NBA All-Star Weekend. Coward was withheld from action due to knee soreness.

Jazz standout Keyonte George missed six of the final seven games before the break due to injuries to each ankle. He is averaging 23.8 points in 48 games.

–Field Level Media

Tundra Esports won twice on Thursday to rise to the top of Group B with one day left in Group Stage 1 at DreamLeague Season 28.

Tundra is the first team to reach four wins in its group, with MOUZ close behind in second. In Group A, Aurora Gaming notched another win and remains comfortably in first.

Five teams have clinched passage into Group Stage 2 with one round to spare: Aurora, PARIVISION and Team Liquid from Group A, and Tundra and MOUZ from Group B. Either BetBoom Team or OG will earn the last bid from Group A when they square off on Friday. Four teams have a shot at the last two spots in Group B.

The $1 million Dota 2 event features 16 teams, starting in a round-robin stage split into two groups of eight teams. All series consist of two games, and the top four teams from each group advance to Group Stage 2, a single round robin featuring best-of-three matches.

From there, four teams will compete in a double-elimination playoff bracket Feb. 28-March 1 with best-of-three matches until the grand final, which will be best-of-five.

The championship team will receive $250,000 in prize money and a $40,000 club reward. The runner-up side will get $100,000 and a $30,000 club reward.

On Thursday, Tundra swept past Execration and Natus Vincere. In the first match, Tundra won in 29 minutes on green and 43 minutes on red; then, they took down NaVi in 35 minutes on green and 31 minutes on red. Russian Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko had a nearly perfect day, averaging a 9.0-0.5-14.5 kills-deaths-assists differential against Execration and then coming out unscathed with a 9.5-0.0-13.0 KDA against Natus Vincere.

MOUZ had a win over Natus Vincere and a tie with GamerLegion to secure second place and clinch a spot in the next stage. The only other 2-0 result in Group B came when Team Spirit beat Execration in 30 minutes on red and 27 minutes on green.

In Group A, Aurora’s fifth win of the stage came against OG in 39 minutes on red and 34 minutes on green. Team Liquid also beat OG (37 minutes on green, 38 minutes on red) to pave its way into the next stage, and BetBoom positioned itself in fourth when it beat Yakult Bros in 36 minutes on green and 42 minutes on red.

Group Stage 1 continues through Friday.

DreamLeague Season 28 Group Stage 1, Group A standings (W-T-L, map record)

1. Aurora Gaming, 5-1-0, 11-1

2. PARIVISION, 3-3-0, 9-3

3. Team Liquid, 3-2-1, 8-4

4. BetBoom Team, 3-1-2, 7-5

5. OG, 2-1-3, 5-7

T6. paiN Gaming, 1-1-4, 3-9

T6. Yakult Brothers, 1-1-4, 3-9

8. Team Yandex, 0-2-4, 2-10

DreamLeague Season 28 Group Stage 1, Group B standings (W-T-L, map record)

1. Tundra Esports, 4-2-0, 10-2

2. MOUZ, 3-3-0, 9-3

T3. Team Falcons, 2-3-1, 7-5

T3. Xtreme Gaming, 2-3-1, 7-5

T5. Natus Vincere, 2-1-3, 5-7

T5. Team Spirit, 1-3-2, 5-7

7. GamerLegion, 0-3-3, 3-9

8. Execration, 1-0-5,2-10

Dream League Season 28 prize pool, with prize money and club reward

1. $250,000, $40,000

2. $125,000, $30,000

3. $80,000, $25,000

4. $60,000, $20,000

5. $45,000, $15,000

6. $35,000, $15,000

7. $30,000, $12,500

8. $25,000, $12,500

9-10. $20,000, $10,000

11-12. $17,500, $10,000

13-14. $15,000, $10,000

15-16. $10,000, $10,000

–Field Level Media

Wizards point guard Trae Young is moving closer toward his Washington debut after the club announced he’s ramping up on-court activities on Thursday.

Young has been dealing with right knee and quadriceps injures. He will be re-evaluated in one week.

The Wizards also announced an update for forward Anthony Davis, who also has yet to make his team debut. Davis has ligament damage in his left hand and is making progress. He hasn’t been cleared for basketball activities and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Young was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 7 in exchange for veteran guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert.

Young, a four-time All-Star, played in just 10 games this season for the Hawks and averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 assists while shooting 41.5% from the field and 30.5% from 3-point range.

Young, 27, led the league last season with 11.6 assists per game. Over eight seasons and 493 games (all starts), Young has averaged 25.2 points, 9.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per contest.

Davis was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Wizards on Feb. 4. There has been heavy speculation that Davis won’t return this season.

Davis, who turns 33 in March, appeared in just 20 games this season with Dallas and averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 blocks. He has career averages of 24.0 points and 10.7 rebounds in 807 games (800 starts) over 14 seasons with the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-19), the Los Angeles Lakers (2019-25) and Mavericks.

A 10-time All-Star, Davis was the centerpiece of the trade last February that sent Dallas star Luka Doncic to the Lakers. After his arrival with the Mavericks, Davis played only nine games because of injuries.

–Field Level Media