Malcolm Brogdon dealing with left shoulder injury

According to the injury report, a list which now includes three starters as well as Justin Holiday (ankle) and Kelan Martin (hamstring), a shoulder injury will keep Malcolm Brogdon out of action when the Pacers take on the Grizzlies on Wednesday night in the penultimate game of preseason, the team announced on Tuesday.

Brogdon, who shoots with his right and looked to be in first-rate shape as recently as last Friday, when he scored 27 points on 14 shots against the Cleveland Cavaliers, has a Grade 1 left acromioclavicular (AC) sprain, reports Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Considered within the context of already being down by T.J. Warren and Caris LeVert, Brogdon sustaining an injury this soon after missing 16 games last year is certainly a blow to building chemistry among the starters in a new system; however, on the bright side, at least his absence has the potential to allow for a closer look at the third-string point guard battle for the final roster spot between Brad Wanamaker and Keifer Sykes.

Per injury buff Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes, a Grade 1 sprain is typically thought of as “minor” and “involves overstretching and microtearing of the ligaments.”

For point of reference, Gordon Hayward suffered a Grade 1 AC sprain in March 2015 when he was still playing for the Utah Jazz and he only ended up missing two games.

If Brogdon can’t play for the remainder of preseason, a cramped starting lineup of T.J. McConnell, Chris Duarte, Torrey Craig, Myles Turner, and Domantas Sabonis could be on the horizon, assuming the Pacers don’t wrap the latter two in bubble wrap. On the Memphis side, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Kyle Anderson are already scheduled for rest.