Wembanyama available to play off the bench against Grizzlies

Victor Wembanyama was available to play Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies after missing two games with left knee soreness, and Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said he will come off the bench under a minutes restriction.

Victor Wembanyama was listed as available for Tuesday night's game in Memphis after missing the previous two games with left knee soreness. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama will come off the bench and play with a minutes restriction. Johnson said the coaching and medical staff are comfortable with the decision and that Wembanyama and the team have agreed to the plan. Wembanyama had earlier missed about a dozen games this season with left calf tightness and is being managed carefully. Key details: - Wembanyama was available Tuesday after missing two games with left knee soreness. - Coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama will come off the bench and be subject to a minutes restriction, and that the coaching and medical staff are comfortable with his return. - Wembanyama has appeared in 22 games this season, starting 15, and is averaging 24.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game. - He missed about a dozen games earlier this season with left calf tightness. - Johnson said the team will monitor him day-to-day to determine when he can return to fuller minutes and indicated a full return to regular playing time is unlikely this season. Summary: Wembanyama's availability provides the Spurs with a limited option for the game while the team continues daily monitoring of his left knee. The Spurs say they are balancing short-term availability with the aim of protecting his longer-term health, and the timeline for a full return to regular minutes remains dependent on his response.