Jaren Jackson Jr. trade grades for Jazz-Grizzlies mega deal

The Memphis Grizzlies are officially rebuilding even as Ja Morant remains on the roster for now. After trading Desmond Bane to Orlando Magic over the summer, the Grizzlies sold high on Jaren Jackson Jr. two days before the trade deadline for a huge haul for picks and players to a surprising buyer.

The Utah Jazz have acquired Jackson Jr. along with three other players from Memphis in exchange for a package headlined by three first-round picks and four players. Here’s how it breaks down, via Shams Charania.

Jazz get: Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr

Grizzlies get: 3 first-round picks, Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang

The picks going to Memphis are their most favorable 2027 first-round pick between Cleveland, Minnesota, and Utah, the Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick, and the Suns 2031 first-round pick, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

We mentioned Jackson as a sneaky trade candidate for a haul of first-round picks earlier in the day, but it’s shocking to see the Jazz step up and complete the deal. Utah’s tank is officially over … at least after this season. Let’s grade this deal for both sides.

You can’t tank forever, and with a weaker 2027 draft looming, Utah decided it was time to accelerate their rebuild. The Jazz’s first-round pick is top-8 protected to OKC this year, so I’d expect the Jazz lose a lot of games to end this season to ensure they have one more bite at lottery luck in the draft. Landing Jackson is a long-term move to add another versatile big man to a core that already includes Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Walker Kessler, and Ace Bailey. If the Jazz hit the lottery for a top-four pick in the loaded 2026 NBA Draft, they will suddenly have one of the best young cores in basketball.

Jackson is in his prime right now at age-26. A 6’10 forward/center, Jackson can shoot and handle like a wing while also being a stout rim protector. He struggles to rebound for a big man, and that will have to be something Utah works around. Jackson is averaging 19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game this season on 57.4 percent true shooting and 36 percent shooting from three on 7.7 attempts per 100 possessions.

Jackson’s scoring efficiency is middling and his defense feels like it’s slipped from his 2023 Defensive Player of the Year season, but he’s still one of the better two-way bigs in the game. Utah has five-out spacing with Jackson and Markkanen, which gives George more room to operate as a driver and playmaker. Imagine if Utah adds Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer to this mix. The Jazz could be scary very quickly. Williams Jr. is a nice addition in this trade, too.

This is a ton to give up for Jackson, but I like the move for Utah. The Jazz have been trash since they traded Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the same offseason, and it was time to get serious. Utah has one more bite at the apple in the 2026 draft, then it’s time to start trying to win.

Grade: B+

Memphis is honest about its place in the Western Conference. Morant, Bane, and Jackson were once one of the most promising young cores in the NBA, but their rivals passed them by. This is the Grizzlies selling very high on Jackson just when his play started declining.

This trade is all about the picks for Memphis. While the 2027 draft might look weaker right now, getting the best pick of Utah, Cleveland, and Minnesota could be highly valuable. The 2031 Suns pick is an awesome future pick, and the 2027 Lakers’ pick could be juicy with an injury to Luka Doncic. Clayton is a nice flier to take during his rookie season, and maybe Taylor Hendricks can get healthy and finally give up to his lottery billing. Hendricks sounded like a poor man’s Jackson Jr. as a draft prospect, but his constant injury issues have derailed his development to this point.

The Grizzlies made this deal while being 19-29 on the season. Expect a Morant trade soon. This front office is one of the game’s best in the draft, and now they have tons of ammo to rebuild from the ground up.

Grade: A-