Unpacking the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade
The Memphis Grizzlies shockingly traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz for 2 young players, 2 contracts, and three first-round picks. Let’s go through the layers.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the Memphis Grizzlies’ first domino of the trade deadline. It wasn’t Ja Morant:
Several layers exist here, so let’s unpack.
First off, wow… the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade brings out a lot of feelings for me. On one hand, it’s going to suck seeing him go. He’s been an unbelievable ambassador for the franchise. His development year over year as a two-way star was unbelievable. He’s one of the most accomplished Grizzlies ever with two All-Star bids, a Defensive Player of the Year award, three All-Defensive team selections (twice on first team), and a First Team All-Rookie team. He’s one of the greatest players in franchise history. While a Jackson trade was likely fair game after they allowed Ja’s rumors to be out in the open, it doesn’t make it sting any less. He’s an excellent player, and someone who’s going to be valuable to the Utah Jazz organization.
Secondly, I didn’t expect Utah to be a suitor here. An Eastern Conference team like the Detroit Pistons or Charlotte Hornets felt more likely. Utah came out of left field. I respect the move out of them, and they boast real size with lineups they can run with Jackson, Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey, and Walker Kessler.
The rest of the players the Grizzlies gave up… Jock Landale felt like a likely mover this deadline, as he boosted his game in Memphis with more opportunities. Let’s hope the Grizzlies find some sort of center play to close the season. Vince Williams can be a guy in Utah. With his expiring contract after next season, the Grizzlies would’ve had to make a decision on him — especially with his team option. The Grizzlies can likely replace his skillset in the draft. John Konchar was a cool development story in Memphis and is insanely valuable in the possessions game.
Now, the players the Grizzlies are getting back… Kyle Anderson and Georges Niang are good veterans. At least one of them should be around this cast of young players to close the season. Both are essentially expiring contracts, as Anderson has a non-guaranteed deal next year. It’ll open roster spots for the Grizzlies to build the roster they envision.
Taylor Hendricks’ development has been stalled a bit after a gruesome leg injury last year. He hasn’t quite cracked the Jazz rotation. He represents a second-draft flier. He’s 6’9” with a 7’0” wingspan. Maybe he turns into something. Otherwise, he’s a restricted free agent in 2027.
Walter Clayton Jr. may be the prize for the Grizzlies from a player standpoint. He hasn’t gotten consistent playing time in Utah. However, in his national championship run last season, his shot-making was absolutely big time. It leaves the guard room a bit crowded with Clayton, Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Camp Spencer. However, this is a good flier to take. Clayton was 19th on my big board for the 2025 Draft. Here’s my scouting report on him:
The Grizzlies’ main prize of the trade was three first-round picks. Per Jake Fischer, the Grizzlies received the most favorable 2027 first-round pick between Utah/Cleveland/Minnesota, a top-4 protected 2027 first-round pick via the Lakers, and a 2031 Phoenix Suns first-round pick. I thought Jackson could’ve gotten more first-round picks. The only thing I’m wondering is if other teams involved were cautious because of the extension number. Who knows?
Nonetheless, the Grizzlies now have 13 first-round picks over the next seven years — tying the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Brooklyn Nets for the most. If the Grizzlies are pivoting towards a rebuild — which this trade signals — then giving a front office with a strong track record of drafting with this many bites of the apple is a good thing. They didn’t have this level of assets to work with after the Grit ‘n’ Grind era.
Finally, the Grizzlies opted for financial flexibility. They generated a traded player exception of roughly $28M, which they’ll have access to for a year. The Grizzlies have history with a sizable traded player exception, as they generated a $25M traded player exception in the Conley trade. They used it to acquire Andre Iguodala with a lightly protected first-round pick. They’ll likely use this to absorb a big contract with a draft asset, an advantageous strategy in today’s apron world. There’s a universe they open up cap space this summer, which could allow them to become a “salary dump” place. Again, bites at the apple are key.
All in all, with this Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, you have to grade it off the dominoes that fall after. How do they use the picks? The Thunder have shown the highest of upsides when picks via trade have become Jalen Williams, a guy that scored 40 in a Final series for them on the way to a championship. After the Anthony Davis trade, the Pelicans’ picks became Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Drake Powell — one of them busted, two of them popped elsewhere, and the other pick was used to get Dejounte Murray. Or do they use picks to go make a house for someone — like the Jazz did for Jaren Jackson Jr.? Having draft picks is like car shopping — the picks are great and valuable, until it leaves the lot.
How do they use the traded player exception? The player domino didn’t work out in the Iguodala dump. They were good bets on physicality and defense, Justise Winslow and Marcus Smart, but it didn’t pan out. The Blazers used that pick to get Deni Avdija. Can the Grizzlies get better luck and value out of this monstrous, historic traded player exception? Some names I’m — optimistically — watching for: Devin Vassell, Tobias Harris, Mikal Bridges, DeMar DeRozan, Jaden McDaniels, Cam Johnson, Naz Reid, Josh Hart.
It’s a whirlwind trade. It brings a lot of emotions. Losing an awesome basketball player and person with Jaren Jackson Jr. hurts. Nonetheless, given the draft capital and financial capabilities within this deal, it’s a trade that will have to be graded as more layers are peeled back, and we see how the trade tree goes. I’ll have more as we see what happens at the trade deadline with analyzing how a rebuild can go. Now, we wait for a Ja Morant trade.
It’s officially a new era for Memphis Grizzlies basketball.
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This will turn out to be a great trade
Do you think Memphis could have got Isaiah Collier instead of Clayton Jr.? Which one do you like the most?