The Memphis Grizzlies took a massive step forward this past season. They finished second in the Western Conference before bowing out to eventual NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Nevertheless, it was a highly successful season leaving promise for next year. Well, that optimism just took a big hit.

ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Grizzlies star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot on Wednesday. The surgery was reportedly successful and he is expected to make a full recovery. However, the timetable for his return is four to six months.

So, there is a chance the Grizzlies do not get Jackson Jr. back on the court until 2023.

Memphis' power forward was coming off of another solid year. He averaged 16.3 points per game, to go along with 5.8 rebounds. It was his worst year shooting the basketball in his pro career. Jackson Jr. shot just 41.5 percent from the field and just 31.9 percent from beyond the arc.

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But his presence on the Grizzlies has more to do with his energy and defense than his offensive production. Jackson Jr. finished among the league leaders with 2.3 blocks per game, and averaged 0.9 steals per contest as well. He was one of the key reasons the Grizzlies performed so well even when Ja Morant missed time with injuries.

Earlier Thursday, the NBA world was turned upside down with news that Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Nets. Quietly, the Grizzlies are among the leaders to land the future Hall of Famer. That would certainly more than make up for missing Jackson Jr. for a couple months. But that is still yet to be determined.