The Memphis Grizzlies are in limbo and in more ways than one. Not only do they find themselves strongly considering shipping away disgruntled franchise star Ja Morant, they have to bend backwards just to find an acceptable trade for him. All the same, Morant’s time in The M appears to be coming to an end, and not a moment too soon.
Could perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr. be headed out of town as well?
Grizzlies Could Look To Trade Jaren Jackson Jr. After Ja Morant
“Given the level of production Memphis has seen from the likes of Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer, the organization desires a pivot to youth,” Yahoo Sports insider Kelly Iko reports. “In speaking with rival executives, there’s a growing thought that Jackson — while a stark contrast to Morant and despite Memphis’ insistence on him being a key part of its future — could be the next domino to fall at some point assuming a Morant trade is realized.
Morant, a two-time All-Star, has enough talent, flair and charisma to be one of the faces of the league for the rest of his career. More importantly, he’s proven that he can lead his team to and through the playoffs when he’s on top of his game. Yet, his antics and attitude have obscured those ambitions. So much so that his on-court decline is almost an afterthought.
That’s not exactly the case for Jackson. However, there’s enough overlap in their situations to make speculation about his future with the Grizzlies truly relevant. Like Morant, Jackson’s numbers have slipped. This season, his scoring average (18.5 points per game) is the lowest it’s been since 2021-22. His shot-blocking average (1.5 per game) would be a career-high for many players. Even so, it’s literally half of what he averaged when he won DPOY in 2022-23.
Is It Time For Memphis To Move On From JJJ?
Part of the reason for Jackson’s decline has been his usage.
Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo is far less reliant on his scoring ability than his predecessor, Taylor Jenkins. At the defensive end, Jackson has shifted from primarily playing center to mainly manning the power forward slot. Because he’s not near the rim as often as he used to be, he can’t protect it as consistently.
Bearing that in mind, Jackson’s no longer playing at an All-Star or award-winning level. As a result, Memphis has less of a reason to be melodramatic about trading him. That’s not even factoring in what could become an awkward relationship with the coaching staff or front office if Morant —who he’s extremely close to —is moved.
Will The 2026 NBA Draft Be Key For Grizzlies?
No matter what the Grizzlies received in a trade for Jackson, or Morant for that matter, there’s one undeniable truth: Should those moves occur before the Feb. 5 trade deadline buzzer, Memphis’s focus will be on the 2026 NBA Draft.
Frankly, given the Grizzlies’ success in the draft, they have plenty of reason to believe in their scouts. To that point, even if they had to sift through the sleeper prospects in the upcoming draft, they probably could find a diamond in the rough. In any case, trading Morant and Jackson would likely lead to the Grizzlies struggling to put points on the board. If so, it isn’t hard to see them having a top-five pick this summer.
In fact, they only have eight more wins than the Brooklyn Nets, who have the fifth-worst record in the Association.
Hypothetically, a top-five pick would give them a shot at an All-Star-caliber prospect. Of course, everyone is looking at Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, BYU wing AJ Dybantsa, and Duke forward Cameron Boozer. However, if they miss out on one of these vaunted players, they might still be in the running for UNC forward Caleb Wilson, Arizona forward Koa Peat, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., or Houston guard Kingston Flemings.
Essentially, they’d have a great chance of finding Morant or Jackson’s successor. A young player who could thrive alongside the likes of 2025 No. 11 pick Cedric Coward and 2024 No. 9 pick Zach Edey. A building block for the future, if not the actual capstone.
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