Back-to-back practices on Thursday and Friday provided a couple of rare sights for the Grizzlies.

One, it was the team's first time practicing on consecutive days in Memphis since Nov. 8-9.

This week also marked the first time since mid-October the team had its full complement of 17 players available.

But as the Grizzlies gear up for the new year with a healthy roster, a sense of mystery surrounds one of the team's highest-paid players.

Chandler Parsons has been cleared by the team's medical staff to return from knee soreness. But Parsons and his agent have no idea when the Grizzlies will let him play.

"He is dying to play," Parsons' agent, James Dunleavy, told the Commercial Appeal.

Parsons participated in four 5-on-5 scrimmages over the past two weeks, but Dunleavy said the Grizzlies have given Parsons and his representation no sense of when Parsons will be activated.

According to Dunleavy, the franchise expressed that it wishes to see how Parsons responds to more 5-on-5 scrimmaging before activating him.

The 30-year-old forward has been medically cleared to play for over a week after rehabilitating from knee soreness that kept him out since Oct. 30.

One option presented to Parsons during a recent meeting with the Grizzlies' front office was a G-League assignment with the Memphis Hustle for an unspecified length.

He declined, favoring the option of 5-on-5 work during Grizzlies' practices.

Dunleavy said he and Parsons had no problem with Parsons playing in a G-League game or practicing with the Memphis Hustle.

"But we weren't going to send him there without a plan and they didn't want to commit to an exact amount of time," Dunleavy said. "Ridiculous request for a proven veteran player in this league.

"And you can quote me on that."

Withholding a medically cleared Parsons is a deviation from standard NBA protocol and differs from how the Grizzlies handled the return of Dillon Brooks, who was also medically cleared during the team's four-game road trip following rehabilitation from a knee injury.

But given Parsons' injury history, the franchise wants to be sure he reaches a certain level of durability before trotting him back onto the court.

The Grizzlies' last official update on Parsons' status came on Dec. 12 and noted Parsons' continued recovery from right knee soreness. That update said another update would be given in approximately two weeks.

An injury report for Saturday night's game against the Celtics listed Parsons as out due to "return from injury management" for a fourth straight game. It's an obscure label teams occasionally use when withholding an essentially healthy player from action.

Dunleavy said Parsons believes he can help the Grizzlies (18-16), who fell into an offensive slump during a five-game losing streak this month.

Parsons earned a starting spot to begin the season and scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in the Grizzlies' home-opening win over Atlanta.

It was an encouraging sign after Parsons flew overseas this offseason for expensive, painful treatment for his surgically repaired knees.

Three nights later, he left the court during the team's third game of the season with knee soreness and did not return.

In the third year of a $94 million contract with Memphis, Parsons has dealt with recurring knee problems that have marred his tenure with the team.

But through his latest bout with knee issues, Parsons traveled with the team and even recruited Joakim Noah on the Grizzlies' behalf — a sign that Parsons remains invested in the Grizzlies even as some on the outside speculated whether he would play for the team again.

He remained diligent in his effort to play again, working back to last week's accomplishment of receiving medical clearance to play.

Parsons posted a photo of himself on Instagram wearing a Grizzlies shirt and boarding a plane on Dec. 19 with the caption, "here i come."

But at least for now, it's the Grizzlies putting the brakes on his latest return attempt.

Reach Grizzlies beat writer David Cobb at david.cobb@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @DavidWCobb.

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