<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-zach-edey-miss-start-2025-26-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey to miss start of 2025-26 season with injuries');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ja-Morant-with-Zach-Edey-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey to miss start of 2025-26 season with injuries</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-26T12:43:57-07:00">September 26th, 12:43pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-26T13:02:54-07:00">September 26th, 1:02pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies are prepared to enter the 2025-26 NBA season without several key contributors. As a result of offseason surgeries and recent injuries, Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey, and Brandon Clarke will all <a href="https://x.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1971656426587308261" rel="noopener">miss the start of the new season</a>, the Grizzlies announced on Friday afternoon.</p><p>Jackson, a two-time All-Star and the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-memphis-jaren-jackson-jr-injury-return-timetable-surgery">underwent a procedure in July</a> to address a turf toe injury in his right foot. Originally, the team announced that he would be re-evaluated in 12 weeks.</p><p>The Grizzlies are now saying Jackson will return to play in four to six weeks after being cleared to ramp up his basketball activities.</p><p>Last season, Jackson earned All-Star honors for the second time in his career and was selected to the All-Defensive Second Team, his third overall All-Defensive honor. In 74 games, all of which he started, Jackson averaged 22.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.8 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from 3-point range.</p><p>He was the only player in the league to score at least 1,500 total points and record over 100 blocks.</p><p>This offseason, Jackson signed a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-finalizing-massive-240-million-max-contract-extension">max contract extension worth $240 million</a> over five years to be a focal point of the Grizzlies’ roster alongside All-Star guard Ja Morant for the foreseeable future.</p><p>Edey, who <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-reveal-zach-edey-timeline-after-surgery">underwent surgery to address the laxity in his left ankle</a> on June 7, has also been cleared to ramp up his basketball activities. The bad news is that the second-year center is still six to nine weeks away from returning to play.</p><p>In his rookie season, Edey averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 58.0 percent from the floor. The Grizzlies are enamoured by Edey’s towering 7-foot-4 frame and his ability to play alongside Jackson, creating one of the longest frontcourt duos in the league.</p><p>Clarke, who has fully healed from a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-brandon-clarke-miss-rest-season-knee-injury">high-grade right PCL sprain</a> that ended his 2024-25 campaign, will undergo a new procedure as a result of experiencing right knee synovitis this offseason. His return-to-play timeline will be updated by the team at a later time, and he is expected to make a full recovery.</p><p>Over the last three seasons, Clarke has missed 120 total games due to multiple injuries. He missed 76 games during the 2023-24 season as a result of a torn left Achilles tendon he suffered the season prior.</p><p>All three of these injuries will play a key role in how first-year head coach Tuomas Iisalo utilizes his roster to begin the 2025-26 season.</p><p>The good news for Memphis is that Cedric Coward, the 11th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is expected to be a full participant in training camp following the completion of his rehab for a left shoulder injury he sustained in November 2024 and underwent surgery for.</p><p>The 2025-26 season is already off to a rough start for the Grizzlies, as Santi Aldama and Jock Landale are left as the team’s only healthy options in the frontcourt. While Morant will be available, Memphis has a new look after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-magic-grizzlies-desmond-bane-trade-5-1st-round-picks">trading key swingman Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic</a> in June.</p><p>Iisalo and the Grizzlies will have their work cut out for them when their new season begins on October 22 against the New Orleans Pelicans.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey to miss start of 2025-26 season with injuries

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-honest-desmond-bane-trade-to-magic');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. gets brutally honest on Desmond Bane trade to Magic');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-Desmond-Bane-Grizzlies-celebrate.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. gets brutally honest on Desmond Bane trade to Magic</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-14T09:16:22-07:00">August 14th, 9:16am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-14T09:16:22-07:00">August 14th, 9:16am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/nba/jaren-jackson-jr-memphis-grizzlies-are-embarking-new-journey-rcna223673" rel="noopener">admitted he was not caught off guard</a> by the team’s decision to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-cole-anthony-reflects-orlando-trade-joining-bucks-title-pursuit">trade longtime teammate Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic</a> earlier this offseason.</p><p>“I wasn’t too much surprised,” Jackson said in an interview with NBC’s Rohan Nadkarni. “I mean, when your brothers leave, you are still going to hurt, just because you’re a human being. But at the end of the day, it’s a business. And we’re grown.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-magic-grizzlies-desmond-bane-trade-5-1st-round-picks">Bane, 27, was dealt to Orlando on Father’s Day in a blockbuster trade</a> that sent Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four future first-round picks and a 2029 first-round pick swap to Memphis. Following the trade, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-cole-anthony-sign-with-milwaukee-contract-buyout-grizzlies">Grizzlies bought out Anthony</a>, who later <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-ultimate-reason-milwaukee-signed-cole-anthony">signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks</a>.</p><p>The move marked the end of an era in Memphis, as Bane, Jackson, and point guard Ja Morant had formed the core of a young roster once seen as a rising contender in the Western Conference. Bane was one season into a five-year contract when the trade occurred.</p><p>Last season, Bane averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc in 69 appearances. His departure created both a scoring gap and a leadership void for a team looking to retool around Jackson and Morant.</p><h2><b>Jaren Jackson Jr. embraces leadership role as Grizzlies retool after Desmond Bane Magic trade</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ja-Morant-left-forward-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-middle-and-guard-Desmond-Bane-right-react-during-the-fourth-quarter-against-the-Golden-State-Warriors.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jackson, 25, is entering his eighth NBA season after turning in one of the best campaigns of his career in 2024-25. He averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, two assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.5% from three across 74 games.</p><p>In the wake of Bane’s exit, Jackson said he is preparing to take on a greater leadership role for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/exclusive-tuomas-iisalo-grizzlies-rebooting-grit-and-grind-culture-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr">Grizzlies as they navigate the changes brought by the offseason</a>.</p><p>“You’re going to get closer to your prime, and things are going to change for you,” he said. “I feel like this is a good starting point for a whole new journey of stuff. I’m approaching this year with that spearheaded, disciplined mindset of trying to get us to the promised land.”</p><p>Jackson emphasized the importance of building strong habits and relationships within the locker room, especially as the team integrates new pieces into its rotation.</p><p>“Whoever’s in the locker room is in your foxhole, and that’s where you’re going to war with,” he said. “What are your habits? What are your techniques? Are you willing to share? Are you willing to talk? Who are the leaders? It’s simple, but it’s not easy.”</p><p>The Grizzlies, who have dealt with injuries and roster turnover over the past two seasons, enter the 2025-26 campaign with a renewed focus on development and stability. Jackson’s expanded role will be central to those efforts, as the franchise looks to re-establish itself among the Western Conference’s top contenders.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. gets brutally honest on Desmond Bane trade to Magic

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-memphis-jaren-jackson-jr-injury-return-timetable-surgery');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies set Jaren Jackson Jr. injury return timetable after surgery');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Grizzlies-forward-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-2.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies set Jaren Jackson Jr. injury return timetable after surgery</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-02T10:17:58-07:00">July 2nd, 10:17am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-02T10:17:58-07:00">July 2nd, 10:17am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent successful surgery to repair a turf toe injury in his right foot. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-gets-injury-update-after-240-million-contract">Jackson Jr. agreed to a five-year, $240 million deal</a> with the Grizzlies, they want to make sure he’s at full strength ahead of the upcoming season. Jaren is expected to make a full recovery, but it may take up to three months to recover from the injury sustained during a live basketball game.</p><p>Jackson Jr. will be <a href="https://x.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1940443270246793579" rel="noopener">re-evaluated in approximately 12 weeks</a>, according to the Grizzlies’ X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>“The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent a successful procedure to repair a turf toe injury in his right foot,” Grizzlies PR announced. “Jackson Jr. will be reevaluated in approximately 12 weeks and is expected to make a full recovery. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.”</p><p>Jackson Jr. averaged 22.2 points on 48.8% shooting, including 37.5% from deep, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game last season.</p><h2><b>Jaren Jackson Jr. finalizes five-year, $240 million deal w/Grizzlies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Grizzlies-forward-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-1.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Grizzlies All-Star <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-finalizing-massive-240-million-max-contract-extension">Jaren Jackson Jr. reached his five-year max extension</a> to become one of the wealthiest big men in the NBA. It solidifies his place as a pillar of the franchise for the future. After the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Magic, inking Jackson Jr. to a long-term deal proves where Jaren stands in the team’s future.</p><p>Jackson Jr. has proven to the Grizzlies that <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1939809995308040205" rel="noopener">he’s worth the investment</a>, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>“Massive new deal for Jaren Jackson Jr., including a player option in the final year of the contract in 2029-30, sources said,” Charania reported. “Memphis secures a franchise cornerstone long term, prioritizing the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year’s extension to begin the offseason.”</p><p>It shows the direction the Grizzlies are headed in a critical offseason as they attempt to return to the playoff picture in a competitive Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies set Jaren Jackson Jr. injury return timetable after surgery

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-gets-injury-update-after-240-million-contract');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. gets big injury update after $240 million contract');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Memphis-Grizzlies-forward-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. gets big injury update after $240 million contract</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-01T18:07:21-07:00">July 1st, 6:07pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-01T18:47:49-07:00">July 1st, 6:47pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies have lost some key pieces so far in the 2025 offseason. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-magic-grizzlies-desmond-bane-trade-5-1st-round-picks">Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman traded away Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic</a> and lost Luke Kennard to the Atlanta Hawks. They were able to sign Ja Morant’s co-star, Jaren Jackson Jr., to a five-year, $240 million contract, but the forward suffered a foot injury earlier this week.</p><p>The All-Star forward was <a href="https://x.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1940207794529128523" rel="noopener">dealt a turf toe injury</a> during a live basketball run, according to the Memphis’ social media. The team’s doctors examined the injury and determined that their young star requires a procedure. Luckily for the team, Jackson Jr. will make a complete recovery, but it could take up to three months.</p><p>Unfortunately, there is no timetable for the former Defensive Player of the Year’s return. Foot injuries are dangerous among basketball players, especially when big men suffer them. The injury comes at an inopportune time for the Grizzlies. Kleiman gave Jackson Jr. the maximum extension he was looking for.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-finalizing-massive-240-million-max-contract-extension">Grizzlies committed almost a quarter of a billion dollars</a> in to the seven-year pro. It is the biggest contract the team has ever offered to a player.</p><p>Jackson Jr. became Memphis’ leader over the course of the season as Morant struggled with injuries. Head coach Tomas Iisalo lost his point guard during the first round against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the postseason after a hip injury knocked the Grizzlies point guard out of the game.</p><p>Morant and Jackson Jr. are both on long-term deals, but the team’s outlook looks far different than last season. Without Bane on the roster, more pressure is on the team’s duo of All-Stars to produce on the offensive end of the floor.</p><p>In a Western Conference full of stars, Iisalo and the Grizzlies have their work cut out for them. They hope that Jaren Jackson Jr. will be back in time for the beginning of the season. If he isn’t, Morant will have to play at an All-NBA level in order to keep the team afloat.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. gets big injury update after $240 million contract

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-reacts-240-million-contract');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. reacts to $240 million contract');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Grizzlies-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-signs-5-year-contract-extension.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. reacts to $240 million contract</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-01T07:45:59-07:00">July 1st, 7:45am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-01T07:45:59-07:00">July 1st, 7:45am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. reacts to $240 million contract

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grading-jaren-jackson-jr-s-240-million-grizzlies-contract-in-2025-nba-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grading Jaren Jackson Jr.’s $240 million Grizzlies contract in 2025 NBA free agency');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Grading-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.s-240-million-Grizzlies-contract-in-2025-NBA-free-agency.jpg"></figure><h1>Grading Jaren Jackson Jr.’s $240 million Grizzlies contract in 2025 NBA free agency</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T20:11:21-07:00">June 30th, 8:11pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T20:11:21-07:00">June 30th, 8:11pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After some doubt regarding the future of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-finalizing-massive-240-million-max-contract-extension">Jaren Jackson Jr. with the Memphis Grizzlies</a> following the trade that sent Desmond Bane away to the Orlando Magic, the Grizzlies have quickly made it clear that they are not about to blow up the team anytime soon. On the first day of free agency, it was reported that the Grizzlies had come to terms on a contract renegotiation and extension with the former Defensive Player of the Year, inking him to a five-year contract worth around $240 million.</p><p>Coupled with their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-sign-ty-jerome-28-million-contract">signing of Ty Jerome off free agency</a> and the new extension for versatile forward Santi Aldama, the Grizzlies are poised for another playoff push, even in a loaded Western Conference. They bolstered their depth, and following the Bane trade, they have the draft capital to keep building around Ja Morant and Jackson for the foreseeable future — with Morant under contract until the 2027-28 season and Jackson committing his future until 2030.</p><p>Did the Grizzlies overpay to keep one of their franchise cornerstones? Or is this simply the price of doing business in today’s NBA? Here is a rundown of how Memphis did in their agreed-upon contract extension with the 25-year-old forward.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies had to keep Jaren Jackson Jr., even at this huge price point</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-13-reacts-after-scoring-during-the-first-half-against.jpg"><figcaption>© Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>A $240 million deal spread out over five years amounts to around $48 million per season — huge money, even in today’s NBA. This is the kind of money that true superstars and game-changers make, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-jaren-jackson-jr-santi-aldama-free-agent-contracts-zach-kleiman-future">for the Grizzlies</a>, they are deeming Jackson to be that kind of player.</p><p>For what it’s worth, Jackson has improved leaps and bounds and is either yet to enter his prime or he’s smack-dab in the middle of it. This past season, he averaged 22.2 points per game even with the Grizzlies getting most of its players back after an injury-ravaged 2023-24 campaign and he did so while improving his efficiency, with his true shooting of 59.1 percent being excellent considering the volume of shots and the shot diet he had all year long.</p><p>Moreover, he nearly matched his career-high in points per game (22.5) despite playing nearly three fewer minutes per contest than he did last season. And at 25, there’s no reason to expect any sort of drop-off from him on this side of the ball for the foreseeable future.</p><p>Jackson earns most of his money, however, on the defensive end. The Grizzlies allowed nearly four fewer points per 100 possessions whenever Jackson was <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612763&amp;Season=2024-25&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=1628991" rel="noopener">on the court</a> last season (per PBP Stats), and it’s his mobility on the perimeter that sets him apart from most other rim-protecting big men.</p><p>Only 26 players at present are making over $48 million per season, so Jackson is in select company after signing his new contract. And it’s hard to argue that Jackson isn’t worth that kind of financial commitment. This is the going rate for star players these days, and Jackson is a two-way force whose skillset makes him one of the more attractive big men to build around in today’s NBA.</p><p>Of course, there are a few glaring deficiencies in Jackson’s game that he needs to address if he were to blossom into the best version of himself he could be. For starters, he has to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-zach-edey-receive-stern-stop-fouling-challenge-after-timberwolves-loss-tuomas-iilaso">cut down on his fouling problem</a>. Part of the reason why his impact can run so hot and cold is that he typically finds himself in foul trouble — forcing difficult rotation decisions on the fly for the Grizzlies. He led the league in personal fouls committed this past season, and that is not quite the statistical category any NBA player wants to lead.</p><p>It’s not like Jackson is accruing those fouls in an undeserved manner. He sometimes gets in his own way, committing cheap fouls on ill-advised reach-ins without much consideration for the game state they’re in. He has to find a way to rein in his worst instincts so he can be on the floor as much as possible for a Grizzlies team that thrives whenever he’s on the court.</p><p>The other problem Jackson has, at this point, is not looking fixable. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-why-jaren-jackson-jr-achilles-heel-become-gigantic-memphis-nba-playoffs-problem">His rebounding leaves so much to be desired</a>; among qualified players, he ranked 62nd this past season in rebounds per game (5.6). For reference, newly-signed New Orleans Pelicans center Kevon Looney, despite averaging just 15 minutes across 76 games last season, grabbed more total rebounds than the Grizzlies big man did.</p><p>There’s no coincidence that the Grizzlies were at their best in the 2020s when they had Steven Adams line up alongside Jackson in the frontcourt. Memphis will have to find a way to compensate for Jackson’s major weakness moving forward.</p><p>Nonetheless, the most important thing is that the Grizzlies will now have Jackson to build around for the next five seasons at least. The contract may look stunningly expensive at first glance, but Memphis had to keep Jackson if only to protect the asset, which they did at the usual price players of his caliber go for these days.</p><p><b>Grade: B+</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grading Jaren Jackson Jr.’s $240 million Grizzlies contract in 2025 NBA free agency

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-jaren-jackson-jr-santi-aldama-free-agent-contracts-zach-kleiman-future');   ga('set', 'title', 'What Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama free agent contracts mean for Grizzlies’ future');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/What-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-Santi-Aldama-free-agent-contracts-mean-for-Grizzlies-future.jpg"></figure><h1>What Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama free agent contracts mean for Grizzlies’ future</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T19:42:17-07:00">June 30th, 7:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T19:42:17-07:00">June 30th, 7:42pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/why-grizzlies-no-grief-maxing-jaren-jackson-jr-nba-free-agency">Memphis Grizzlies wasted no time</a> in the opening hours of NBA Free Agency. EVP Zach Kleiman <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-finalizing-massive-240-million-max-contract-extension">inked both Jaren Jackson Jr.</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-sign-santi-aldama-3-year-52-million-contract">Santi Aldama to multi-year deals</a>, making a massive financial commitment and statement about the franchise’s championship aspirations. Securing two pivotal pieces with substantial contract extensions is an all-in commitment to building around a proven core, including an appreciative Ja Morant.</p><p>Kleiman was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpSej8Qw160&amp;pp=ygUMemFjaCBrbGVpbWFu" rel="noopener">downright gloomy during exit interviews</a>, admitting last year’s banged-up Grizzlies were not close to contention as constructed. Well, these contracts represent more than just player retention. Offering Jaren Jackson Jr. the full $240 million, five-year max-level extension with a player option and awarding Santi Aldama $53 million over three years signals a belief that their current trajectories can lead to championship contention. Furthermore, by removing the uncertainty surrounding two key players, the Grizzlies have created stability that should allow for better long-term planning and player development.</p><p>There is a clear organizational philosophy as Tuomas Iisalo takes charge as head coach. Build around proven, versatile players who fit the pace-and-space era of basketball. Sure, the success of these investments will ultimately be measured by playoff performance and championship pursuits. But for now, the Grizzlies have made their intentions clear. Forget the Kevin Durant rental ideas. They are building for sustained excellence around a young, talented core that they believe can compete with anyone in the league.</p><p>Jackson Jr. provides the defensive foundation and rim protection, while Aldama offers the frontcourt shooting and positional flexibility that modern offenses require. The Grizzlies are positioning themselves for sustained success rather than pursuing short-term fixes. By committing long-term to players who are just entering or approaching their prime years, Kleiman has constructed a foundation that should remain competitive for the next half-decade.</p><p>The 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year has established himself as one of the league’s premier two-way big men. Rather than allowing Jackson Jr. to potentially enter free agency in 2026, the Grizzlies have locked down their defensive anchor through the prime years of his career. Aldama still has room to grow and that contract is going to be very valuable going forward.</p><p>Kleiman’s moves provide salary cap clarity for future roster construction while providing a clear framework for building around the Ja Morant-Jaren Jackson Jr. core. Cole Anthony is still being shopped and Brandon Clarke could be on the move soon. Still, the Grizzlies should be able to contend for top-six seeds, if not championships, for the rest of the decade without paying the luxury tax often if at all. After splashing out almost $300 million in cash, that is the kind of plan that helps front office executives get contract extensions as well.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

What Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama free agent contracts mean for Grizzlies’ future

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/why-grizzlies-no-grief-maxing-jaren-jackson-jr-nba-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies should get no grief for maxing Jaren Jackson Jr.');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Why-Grizzlies-should-get-no-grief-for-maxing-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies should get no grief for maxing Jaren Jackson Jr.</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T17:19:01-07:00">June 30th, 5:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T17:19:01-07:00">June 30th, 5:19pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-finalizing-massive-240-million-max-contract-extension">Memphis Grizzlies made headlines by locking up Jaren Jackson Jr.</a> with a five-year, $240 million maximum contract extension to open the NBA Free Agency frenzy. Almost immediately, some criticism began <a href="https://x.com/JoshEberley/status/1939811335463956978" rel="noopener">flowing from the national media</a>. Too much money. Too much risk. Too much commitment to a player who hasn’t proven he can stay healthy. The reality is, though, EVP Zach Kleiman’s Grizzlies made exactly the right call, and they deserve credit, not criticism, for the decisive action.</p><p>Critics questioned the wisdom of committing such a significant financial package to a player who, while undeniably talented, has yet to fully cement himself as a perennial superstar. However, a closer look at Jaren Jackson Jr.’s trajectory, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-creates-buzz-move-before-nba-free-agency">Grizzlies regrouping around Ja Morant</a>, and Zach Kleiman’s calculated approach to the offseason reveals why this move is not only defensible but a masterstroke for the franchise’s future.</p><p>The Grizzlies eliminated the uncertainty of pending NBA Free Agency rumors, avoided a bidding war, and locked in a core player during his prime years. In a league where championship windows are narrow and All-NBA talent is scarce, securing Jaren Jackson Jr. was the only logical choice. The real question isn’t whether Kleiman should have maxed the star but how much the front office would have regretted letting him walk away.</p><p>The 25-year-old big man has already earned All-Star  (2023, 2025) recognition and claimed the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award (2023). When healthy, he’s one of the most impactful two-way players in the league, capable of anchoring a defense while stretching the floor offensively with his three-point (37.5%) shooting ability. Players with Jackson Jr.’s rare combination of size, defensive prowess, and offensive versatility don’t hit the open market often. When they do, they command max contracts immediately. The Grizzlies recognized this reality and acted accordingly.</p><p>Yes, Jackson Jr. has dealt with injuries during his career, but the narrative that he’s injury-prone is largely overblown. When examining his injury history, most of his missed time has come from isolated incidents rather than chronic issues. For a player of his size and playing style, his injury profile is actually quite manageable. With the NBA salary cap projected to rise significantly over the coming years, securing Jackson Jr. at a max deal could look like a bargain by the contract’s midpoint.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies, Zach Kleiman deserve credit</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/JA-Morant-Jaren-Jackson.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>EVP Zach Kleiman has earned a reputation as one of the NBA’s sharpest front-office minds, and his decision to max out Jackson Jr. aligns with his history of bold yet calculated moves. Since taking the reins in 2019, Kleiman has transformed the Grizzlies from a rebuilding franchise into a perennial playoff contender. His draft acumen has built a core that’s both young and battle-tested. Extending Jaren Jackson Jr. is a continuation of this vision.</p><p>The NBA Free Agency financial landscape also justifies the Grizzlies’ decision. Max contracts are increasingly the norm for players of Jackson Jr.’s caliber as well. Had Kleiman hesitated, the team risked losing a possibly disgruntled Jackson Jr. or facing a higher price tag down the line. Locking in a homegrown talent who embodies the Grizzlies’ culture of toughness, versatility, and upside deserves some credit.</p><p>Critics might point to Jackson Jr.’s occasional injury concerns or his still-developing consistency as reasons to hesitate. He has missed an average of 20 games per season over his career, and his rebounding numbers lag behind traditional bigs. However, these critiques overlook the context of his role. Kleiman’s bet is that Jackson Jr.’s best years are ahead, and the data supports that optimism.</p><p>In the end, the decision to max out Jaren Jackson Jr. is a no-brainer. The realities of the NBA market all point to this being a smart, necessary move. A player option is a minor concession in a deal that secures a foundational piece for a franchise on the cusp of something special. Critics may nitpick, but they’re missing the bigger picture.</p><p>The Grizzlies deserve praise, not grief, for doubling down on their All-NBA star. Kleiman understood that in today’s NBA, the priority is securing your foundational pieces and building accordingly.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Grizzlies should get no grief for maxing Jaren Jackson Jr.

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-finalizing-massive-240-million-max-contract-extension');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jaren Jackson Jr. finalizing massive $240 million max contract extension with Grizzlies');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-Grizzlies-celebrates.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jaren Jackson Jr. finalizing massive $240 million max contract extension with Grizzlies</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T15:27:14-07:00">June 30th, 3:27pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T15:57:44-07:00">June 30th, 3:57pm</time><address><a>Scotty White</a>Scotty White is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has been in the sports journalism industry since 2020. He has covered athletics at the University of Michigan and is now serving as an Associate Editor, Chicago Bulls beat writer, and Michigan football reporter at ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies are starting NBA Free Agency off with a bang as they are <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1939809995308040205" rel="noopener">finalizing a massive contract</a> extension for Jaren Jackson Jr. Jackson Jr. was selected in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft, and he has spent his entire career with the Grizzlies. He isn’t going anywhere as this max extension is worth $240 million over five years. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/the-jaren-jackson-jr-trade-grizzlies-must-consider-after-desmond-bane-blockbuster">Jackson Jr. is staying put</a>.</p><p>“BREAKING: The Memphis Grizzlies and All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. are expected to agree on a five-year, $240 million maximum renegotiation-and-extension, sources tell ESPN,” Shams Charania said in a post. “Head of CAA Basketball Austin Brown and CAA agent Max Saidman negotiated the new agreement with the Grizzlies.”</p><p>Another important aspect of this deal for Jaren Jackson Jr. is that there is a player option for the final year of his contract in 2029-30.</p><p>“Massive new deal for Jaren Jackson Jr., including a player option in the final year of the contract in 2029-30, sources said,” Charania added. “Memphis secures a franchise cornerstone long term, prioritizing the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year’s extension to begin the offseason.”</p><p>Jackson Jr. was one of the best players in college basketball during his time at Michigan State, and his freak athleticism and length has transferred over to the NBA well. Jackson Jr. was immediately an impact player for the Grizzlies when he joined the team in 2018 after being the fourth overall pick in the draft. He has averaged double figures during all seven seasons of his career, and he hasn’t averaged below 20 points per game since the 2022-23 season.</p><p>The last two years have been incredibly impressive as Jackson Jr. has averaged 22.5 and 22.2 PPG. He also averaged 5.6 rebounds per game and 2.0 assists per game this past season. His size and shooting ability makes him incredibly difficult to defend as Jackson Jr. is a very capable three-point shooter. He shot the deep ball at a 37.5% clip last season.</p><p>Not only is Jackson Jr. a force on the offensive end, but his defensive abilities make him an incredibly valuable player. He can guard just about anyone because of his unique skillset, and his high level of play on that end of the floor earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023.</p><p>Jaren Jackson Jr. has had a very impressive NBA career with the Grizzlies so far, and Memphis wasted no time getting him on a new contract. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/nba-rumors-grizzlies-trying-trade-run-ty-jerome">Grizzlies are off to a busy start</a> in NBA Free Agency.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jaren Jackson Jr. finalizing massive $240 million max contract extension with Grizzlies

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-rumors-memphis-jaren-jackson-jr-focus-after-desmond-bane-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies rumors: Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. ‘focus’ after Desmond Bane trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Featured-image-Grizzlies-JJJ.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies rumors: Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. ‘focus’ after Desmond Bane trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-22T10:12:33-07:00">June 22nd, 10:12am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-22T10:12:33-07:00">June 22nd, 10:12am</time><address><a>Dylan Fine</a>Dylan Fine focuses on the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints, in addition to working on the meme team. Dylan is a graduate of Georgetown University and has covered various topics ranging from local politics in the DMV region with DC Voter For Animals to live sporting events in the Long Island and Rochester areas with The Southampton Press and Pickin’Splinters. When he isn't working, he's usually running in preparation for the next annual Turkey Trot.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Grizzlies are heading into the offseason with one clear goal in mind, and it involves Jaren Jackson Jr. The front office made the stunning decision this offseason to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/desmond-bane-trade-grades-magic-grizzlies-blockbuster">trade Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic</a>. Memphis received a significant haul in return, including two quality role players in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks, and a future first-round pick swap in the deal.</p><p>While there was some <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-rumors-kevin-oconnor-full-blow-up-2-blockbuster-trades">initial belief that the Grizzlies might be starting over</a> with this move, it’s becoming very clear that the Bane trade was the franchise retooling its roster around franchise cornerstones Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. In particular, the Grizzlies’ star big man has only one more year left on his current deal. And based on a recent update given by senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer, Memphis’ primary focus this offseason will be to reach a contract extension with the two-time All-Star.</p><p>As for the other, pivotal moves this franchise will make this offseason, Fischer <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-on-jonathan-kuminga-much?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=166476652&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">further details</a> why the Grizzlies, especially heading into the NBA Draft, are somewhat of an enigma.</p><p>“The Grizzlies rank as real wildcards that suddenly find themselves operating in the middle of the first round. That means playing catch-up on bringing draft prospects to town since Memphis acquired that No. 16 pick from the Magic in the Desmond Bane blockbuster that shook the whole league on Father’s Day. That section of the draft is so fluid as is, with numerous teams — starting with Toronto at No. 9 — seemingly open to fielding trade offers once they come on the clock. The word on the Grizzlies, at this juncture, is that it wouldn’t be a surprise if they moved in either direction.</p><p>They have been one of the more active teams in recent drafts regarding trading up, down, or out of the first round, depending on circumstances. What we know for certain about the Grizz: Sources say that Memphis, in the wake of the Bane trade, is focused on preserving as much financial flexibility as possible to renegotiate-and-extend the contract of star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. as well as fending off external interest in restricted free agent Santi Aldama.”</p><p>Memphis is coming off an uneven season that saw the franchise <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-part-ways">move on from head coach Taylor Jenkins</a>. Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are both entering their respective primes, meaning that the front office certainly expects this team to be a significant player in the Western Conference for years to come. Clearly, the Grizzlies believed there was a limited ceiling to the Morant, Jackson Jr., and Bane trio, and instead, the front office is choosing to fill out the rest of its roster with this trade</p><p>Overall, Jackson Jr.’s missing an All-NBA team does not make him eligible for the supermax extension. Therefore, the Grizzlies will have the financial flexibility to continue building a competent supporting cast around the star forward and Durant for the foreseeable future. It’ll be interesting to see how many of these picks from the Bane trade the franchise uses.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies rumors: Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. ‘focus’ after Desmond Bane trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-kendrick-perkins-drops-most-overhyped-claim-jaren-jackson-jr');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kendrick Perkins drops ‘most overhyped’ claim on Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr.');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250415_tcs_se9_102.jpg"><figcaption>Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Kendrick Perkins drops ‘most overhyped’ claim on Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr.</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-19T16:59:13-07:00">June 19th, 4:59pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-19T16:59:13-07:00">June 19th, 4:59pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Jaren Jackson Jr. stands out as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-long-term-future-memphis">one of the best big men in the NBA</a>. However, former player Kendrick Perkins has his qualms about the Memphis Grizzlies star.</p><p>Perkins <a href="https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1935802506535162321" rel="noopener">appeared on a June 19 edition</a> of Gilbert Arenas’ “Gil’s Arena” podcast. He likes the skillset Jackson showcases on the court with his shooting and defense, but questions whether the duo of him and Ja Morant can lead to success for the Grizzlies.</p><p>“I like Jaren Jackson Jr., I don’t love him. I think he is the most over-hyped player in the NBA… I think in the last four years, or maybe the last three years, Ja Morant has only played one season where he played over 60 games. So, it’s like, what’s really going on over there?” Perkins said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kendrick Perkins says Jaren Jackson Jr. is the most overhyped player in the NBA 😳</p><p>(🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/GilsArenaShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GilsArenaShow</a> / h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/big_business_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@big_business_</a>) <a href="https://t.co/j4OadA5n3s">pic.twitter.com/j4OadA5n3s</a></p><p>— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1935802506535162321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>What lies ahead for Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250421_ter_in1_0460.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Kendrick Perkins is right to question the ceiling of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr, considering their last postseason runs with the Grizzlies.</p><p>The Grizzlies reached the West Semifinals of the playoffs once in 2022, losing to the Golden State Warriors. They have since exited the first round or missed the playoffs entirely.</p><p>Aside from his season-ending injury in the 2020-21 campaign, Jackson has been relatively available for the Grizzlies throughout his career. In the last four seasons, he only missed 47 regular-season games.</p><p>However, it’s not the same for Morant. Since the 2021-22 season, he has consistently missed at least 20 games. He went through suspensions and injuries throughout the 2023-24 campaign and was out for 32 games the following year.</p><p>Jackson is coming off the second NBA All-Star selection of his career this season. He averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, two assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game after 74 appearances. He shot 48.8% from the field, including 37.5% from beyond the arc, and 78.1% from the free-throw line.</p><p>The Grizzlies will prepare for a different era of basketball with Tuomas Lisalo leading the direction. They will hope that Morant and Jackson can finally unlock their potential as a star duo in the Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kendrick Perkins drops ‘most overhyped’ claim on Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr.

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/jaren-jackson-jr-lost-chance-highest-paid-player-nba-history');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Jaren Jackson Jr. lost his chance at becoming highest paid player in NBA history');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>How Jaren Jackson Jr. lost his chance at becoming highest paid player in NBA history</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-19T07:34:52-07:00">June 19th, 7:34am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-19T07:34:52-07:00">June 19th, 7:34am</time><address><a>Derick Quinanola</a>With a proficient background in basketball, NFL, and football, Derick Quinanola uses his knowledge to write blogs for readers that are both entertaining and informative. He has been writing with ClutchPoints for years and has developed an understanding of the type of content fans resonate with.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Evergreen</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>When the All-NBA teams were announced for the 2024-25 season, nobody was more eager to see the results than Memphis Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr.</p><p>Unfortunately, he came 13 total points short and <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/2024-25-all-nba-teams-announced" rel="noopener">finished 17th in voting</a>, causing him to miss out on potentially signing the biggest contract in NBA history.</p><h2><b>All-NBA snub cost Jaren Jackson Jr. at least $200 million</b></h2><p>NBA rules state that only players entering their 7th or 8th season in the league with the team they started with (or acquired their rookie deal rights via trade) can sign players to a supermax i.e. a contract that commands 30 to 35% of the team’s salary cap. It was done to limit stars from taking their talents elsewhere in exchange for a huge bag.</p><p>Entering the 2024-25 season, Jackson Jr. was one of the few players eligible for a supermax contract. He was entering the last two years of his current contract and passed the eligibility for tenure on one team. With the NBA’s salary cap only getting bigger each season, Jackson Jr. was in a prime position to take the title as the player who’d sign the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/biggest-contracts-nba-history-after-jayson-tatum-deal" rel="noopener">largest contract in NBA history</a>, a title currently owned by Jayson Tatum.</p><p>He had three ways to do this. Win league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), or be named to an All-NBA team. Realistically, Jackson Jr. had a two out of three chance to earn a supermax before the start of the season. He’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-receives-defensive-player-of-the-year-trophy-prior-to-game-2-against-lakers" rel="noopener">won DPOY in the past</a> and was already named an All-Star once. By February of the season, it seemed more than likely that Jackson Jr would sign a supermax by the offseason. However, one game changed everything.</p><h2><b>Did Jaren Jackson Jr. lose millions because of 1 bad game?</b></h2><p>Heading to the All-Star break, Jackson Jr. had been named an All-Star. He was also the <a href="https://www.si.com/betting/jaren-jackson-jr-jumps-odds-favorite-win-defensive-player-of-the-year-victor-wembanyama-injury" rel="noopener">odds-on favorite to bag DPOY</a> once news broke that Victor Wembanyama went down with a season-ending injury.</p><p>His case to win the award was strong. Only Evan Mobley had a real shot at beating him. With both players yet to face each other in the season, their two matchups were the perfect stage to determine who would win DPOY.</p><p>Then came the game.</p><p>Mobley didn’t just win the matchup, he dominated it. Statistically, Mobley outperformed Jackson Jr. He had more points, more rebounds, more blocks, and his team won the game.</p><p>The real damage came in the head-to-head numbers. Mobley held Jackson Jr. to just 16% shooting when guarding him. On the flip side, Mobley hit 50% of his shots when Jackson Jr. was his primary defender.</p><p>The impact was immediate. The next day, Jackson Jr’s DPOY odds plummeted from frontrunner to third. By season’s end, Jackson Jr. <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/kia-defensive-player-of-the-year-award-2024-25-evan-mobley" rel="noopener">fell to seventh in DPOY voting</a>, a massive slide for someone once seen as the favorite a few months ago.</p><p>Without the honor of DPOY or an All-NBA selection, Jackson Jr. became ineligible for the supermax. His next max extension will now only be worth a maximum of $147 million. While the figure is still lucrative, it won’t even come close to the amount he just missed out on.</p><p>Jackson Jr. missing out on $200 million is most likely not just a case of being outplayed by Mobley. The Grizzlies <a href="https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/mikecheck-grizzlies-exit-tumultuous-season-with-lots-to-sort-through-facing-pivotal-summer" rel="noopener">stumbled towards the end of the season</a> while other teams found their stride.</p><p>The numbers were there for Jackson Jr. But the spot for one of the top 15 players of this season was just too tight of a window for him to squeeze through.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Jaren Jackson Jr. lost his chance at becoming highest paid player in NBA history

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/the-jaren-jackson-jr-trade-grizzlies-must-consider-after-desmond-bane-blockbuster');   ga('set', 'title', 'The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade Grizzlies must consider after Desmond Bane blockbuster');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/The-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.jpg"></figure><h1>The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade Grizzlies must consider after Desmond Bane blockbuster</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-17T21:21:17-07:00">June 17th, 9:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-17T21:21:17-07:00">June 17th, 9:21pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies, after three straight disappointing seasons, decided to pivot, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/desmond-bane-trade-grades-magic-grizzlies-blockbuster">trading away Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic</a> for a package consisting of four first-round picks, a pick swap, Cole Anthony, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. This was a gigantic return for someone who hasn’t yet made an All-Star team, and affords the Grizzlies an opportunity to bid for the next star that becomes available in the trade market.</p><p>It’s definitely a curious move, however, that the Grizzlies decided to move on from someone whom many thought was going to be a part of the team’s core for the foreseeable future. This perhaps opens up the possibility that Memphis decides to blow it up and start from scratch, expunging all the bad vibes that seem to have been emanating from the team over the past three seasons.</p><p>Nonetheless, rumor has it that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-rumors-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr-plans-after-desmond-bane-trade">Grizzlies front office isn’t exactly looking to rebuild</a>. They instead would like to keep Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. and build from there, hoping that a full offseason under head coach Tuomas Iisalo would help re-establish them as a force to be reckoned with in the stacked Western Conference.</p><p>But with Jackson being in the <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/26970/jaren-jackson-jr" rel="noopener">last year</a> of his deal, the Grizzlies may want to recoup some value for him, lest he walks for nothing in free agency. The 25-year-old former Defensive Player of the Year has been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-long-term-future-memphis">noncommittal about his future</a>, and it’s not quite clear how he feels regarding the franchise’s direction in the aftermath of the Bane trade.</p><p>With that said, this is the trade that the Grizzlies must entertain if push comes to shove on the Jackson front.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies to take advantage of 76ers’ desperation?</b></h2><p><b>Grizzlies acquire: Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, 2025 first-round pick (third overall), 2028 first-round pick (from LAC), 2030 first-round pick (from PHI)</b></p><p><b>76ers acquire: Jaren Jackson Jr.</b></p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-13-defends-on-Denver-Nuggets-center-Nikola-Jokic-15-in-the-fourth-quarter.jpg"><figcaption>© Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The 76ers are coming off a nightmare 2024-25 season; they entered the new campaign with high hopes after securing the summer signing of Paul George, but they never got going due to injury woes and proceeded to end the season needing to strategically lose ballgames just so they could keep their first-round pick this year (they owe it to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it fell outside the top-six).</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-joel-embiid-hit-with-worrisome-second-knee-surgery-update">Joel Embiid’s injury woes</a> cast such a huge cloud on the 76ers and their contending hopes; it’s unclear if Embiid will ever be the same caliber of superstar he was prior to this past season after undergoing yet another surgery on his left knee. The good news for them is that they’ve been granted a pathway to straddling a two-timeline path, having the requisite talent to compete in the present while opening up the door for them to build a young up-and-coming team should the Embiid-George veteran star duo continue to decline.</p><p>Nonetheless, the 76ers, for better or for worse, are going to be stuck with Embiid, and even though he’s going to be very limited from this point forward, he remains a dominant force, as long as he’s able to move well. So perhaps the 76ers would want to give Embiid the best chance possible to compete for a title for as long as his knees are working.</p><p>And with that, the 76ers may not have the patience to wait for the presumptive third overall pick, Ace Bailey, to develop. Bailey has such high potential as an athletically-gifted three-level scorer on the wing, but he’s so raw as a playmaker and decision-maker that it will take years for him to blossom into the necessary piece on a championship-level team.</p><p>If the 7<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-daryl-morey-trade-talks-bring-mystery-around-nba">6ers operate with a win-now urgency this offseason</a>, perhaps the Grizzlies can capitalize on such desperation and cash in on a healthy return for Jackson, who is set to be a free agent following the 2025-26 season.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/3-early-philadelphia-76ers-trade-targets-in-2025-nba-offseason">Jackson would give the 76ers the power forward</a> they need to contend, and in the scenario above, the 76ers won’t even have to give up Jared McCain. Instead, the Grizzlies will focus on acquiring the best draft capital they could from the 76ers, as trading Jackson away signals that they are ready for a full-scale rebuild.</p><p>Acquiring the third overall pick of this year’s draft gives the Grizzlies a legitimate building block for the future, regardless of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-prime-candidate-vj-edgecombe-emerges-no-3-draft-possibilities">if they use it on Bailey or VJ Edgecombe</a>. They are going to be set for the future with plenty of draft assets, they can get even more by dangling the expiring deals of the three veteran salary fillers they’ll be getting in the hypothetical above, and the eventual trade of Ja Morant would restock their asset cupboard even further.</p><p>The Grizzlies may want to target McCain as well, but that price may be far too rich for the 76ers’ liking. Perhaps a package headlined by McCain and other draft picks (with the 76ers keeping the third pick for themselves) could work as well, but the third overall pick, as it stands, is Philly’s best available trade asset. (Maxey is their best trade asset, but he’s not available.)</p><p>But if the 76ers are looking to surround their core stars with the young talent who can grow irrespective of whether or not George and Embiid stay productive for the foreseeable future and decide to keep their young talent and draft assets to themselves, the Grizzlies can look elsewhere, perhaps dangling Jackson to the team that ends up missing out on Kevin Durant.</p><h2><b>Memphis trades JJJ to the Spurs</b></h2><p><b>Grizzlies acquire: Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, 2025 ATL first-round pick (#14), 2027 ATL first-round pick, 2029 SAS first-round pick, 2031 SAS first-round pick, 2030 first-round pick swap</b></p><p><b>Spurs acquire: Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke</b></p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Victor-Wembanyama-vs.-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/nba-rumors-kevin-durants-specific-team-in-mind-as-trade-landing-spot">Durant may prefer to land with the San Antonio Spurs</a>, but the decision is not up to him; the Phoenix Suns organization will look to do what’s best for them, and if the Spurs continue to hold back in trade talks for the future Hall of Famer, they could end up missing out on his services.</p><p>Nonetheless, there are some arguments to be made that the Spurs should not trade for Durant. For starters, Durant is entering his age-37 season and will require San Antonio to go in full win-now mode to maximize their window with the star forward. Young, up-and-coming teams like the Spurs need time to marinate; just look at the Thunder and how they managed to grow their young core, putting them on the cusp of winning the 2025 NBA championship.</p><p>Thus, if the Spurs end up missing out on Durant, they could perhaps set their sights on acquiring Jackson from the Grizzlies instead. Unlike Durant, Jackson has his whole prime ahead of him. He’s only 25 years of age and took a huge step offensively last season, putting up 22 points per game without suffering a drop-off in efficiency.</p><p>It would be close to impossible to score on the Spurs in the paint if they manage to pair Jackson with Wembanyama. And considering how promising the Spurs’ trajectory is, they have a huge chance of re-signing him for the long haul.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are getting four first-round picks, two promising young players in Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan, as well as a pick swap. There’s no way Memphis is getting Stephon Castle in any deal, and the Spurs will be hesitant to include the second overall pick, especially for someone who can be a free agent after next season.</p><p>This would truly signal that the Grizzlies are going to start from scratch, with Ja Morant being next on the trade block in such a scenario.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade Grizzlies must consider after Desmond Bane blockbuster

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-brian-windhorst-dashes-lakers-jaren-jackson-jr-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Brian Windhorst dashes Lakers’ Jaren Jackson Jr. trade dreams');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-13-reacts-after-scoring-during-the-first-half-against.jpg"><figcaption>© Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Brian Windhorst dashes Lakers’ Jaren Jackson Jr. trade dreams</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-17T07:48:30-07:00">June 17th, 7:48am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-17T07:48:30-07:00">June 17th, 7:48am</time><address><a>Rishav Bhat</a>Rishav is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers can officially remove Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. from the list of centers they are pursuing this offseason. Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, NBA Insider Brian Windhorst stated that there was “no chance” of the Grizzlies <a href="https://hoopshype.com/rumor/windhorst-no-chance-jaren-jackson-ends-up-with-lakers/" rel="noopener">moving their All-Star big man</a> after Desmond Bane’s trade. Rumors had persisted that following Bane’s departure, Memphis could pivot further in a bid to acquire assets from a Jackson Jr. trade.</p><p>This led to obvious speculation involving <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-will-la-pursue-center-they-long-been-fans-of-in-free-agency">the Lakers, considering their long-term search for a center</a> since Anthony Davis left. However, asked whether Jaren Jackson Jr. could be the answer, Windhorst rejected the rumor, claiming that Jackson is set to sign a $200 million extension in the near future.</p><p>“No chance. No chance. Absolutely not worth a discussion. Look, I think Jaren Jackson is now in position to sign a contract extension of over $200 million. I would feel very strongly that’s going to happen,” he said. The Grizzlies, according to Windhorst, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIFYeV4X3-s" rel="noopener">are committed to building around</a> Jackson Jr.</p><p>However, the same does not appear to be true for their other, bigger star, Ja Morant.</p><p>“On the Ja Morant front, that’s a different discussion. I’d be kind of surprised if the Grizzlies were willing to give him a $200 million extension at this point.” And while that may lead to interesting outcomes, the Lakers will need to look elsewhere, once again.</p><p>The LA Lakers have been linked to multiple Centers in the past few weeks, ranging from Walker Kessler to the 37-year-old Brook Lopez. While stacked in offense with the arrival of Luka Doncic to take up the reins now and in the future, AD’s departure has left a glaring hole in defense.</p><p>Jaren Jackson Jr., in the vein of the Hawks’ Clint Capela, would immediately walk into their starting lineup and would have been a major coup. However, that seems to be off the table for the LA Lakers, as things stand.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Brian Windhorst dashes Lakers’ Jaren Jackson Jr. trade dreams

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-best-offer-jaren-jackson-jr-desmond-bane-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ best offer for Jaren Jackson Jr. after Desmond Bane trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/751784047-lakers-best-offer-for-jaren-jackson-jr-after-desmond-bane-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>Lakers’ best offer for Jaren Jackson Jr. after Desmond Bane trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-16T09:52:28-07:00">June 16th, 9:52am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-16T09:52:28-07:00">June 16th, 9:52am</time><address><a>Bailey Bassett</a>Bailey Bassett is a sports writer from Denver, Colorado, covering major sports events and athlete backgrounds at ClutchPoints. He has experience covering and writing on high school, collegiate, and professional sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Any time that a starting-caliber center or superstar big man gets brought up in trade rumors, the Los Angeles Lakers will be the first team that fans think of as a trade partner. The team led by LeBron James and Luka Doncic is desperate for a center, as they were forced to play Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt minutes at the five in the playoffs. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-rumors-bill-simmons-ready-for-jaren-jackson-jr-trade-after-desmond-bane-shocker">Jaren Jackson Jr. is the most recent center to be discussed</a> as a potential trade candidate, but could the Lakers trade for him?</p><h2><b>Lakers’ best trade proposal for Jaren Jackson Jr. </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/751751817-jaren-jackson-jr-lakers.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><b>Lakers receive: </b>Jaren Jackson Jr.</p><p><b>Grizzlies receive: </b>2031 first-round pick, Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/desmond-bane-trade-grades-magic-grizzlies-blockbuster">Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic</a>, which opened up the floodgates for fans wondering if a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/ranking-3-best-jaren-jackson-jr-trade-destinations-if-grizzlies-blow-things-up">trade involving Jackson</a> is a possibility. However, reports have quickly shut that idea down, as it appears <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-rumors-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr-plans-after-desmond-bane-trade">Jackson and Ja Morant are off the table</a>. The Magic simply offered the Grizzlies a deal that they couldn’t refuse.</p><p>Bane went for four first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, Kentavious Caldwell Pope, and Cole Anthony. The move brings in an influx of draft capital, two rotation players who can fill Bane’s minutes in the backcourt, and some salary relief that could make extending Morant and Jackson easier.</p><p>Even so, fans will still ponder a Jackson trade, especially in Los Angeles, considering their massive void at the center position. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-trade-grade-luka-doncic-deal">Lakers added Doncic</a> ahead of the trade deadline in what was one of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/the-most-shocking-nba-trades-ever-ranked">biggest trade fleeces ever</a>. The move sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks, though, meaning Los Angeles had almost nobody to fill minutes at the five. It hurt them in the playoffs, as the Lakers lacked interior scoring, rebounding, and rim protection.</p><p>Jackson offers all of that and more. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year winner who has twice led the league in blocks. Jackson’s offensive game is improving every season, too. He has long been one of the best 3-point shooting big men in the league, but he made his second All-Star team this season largely because he improved as both a post-up scorer and off-the-bounce isolation scorer. Jackson has spent a lot of time at the four during his career, but he is more than capable of sliding up a position.</p><p>The Lakers need to add a center if they want to compete for a championship before James retires. He has already <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-longest-careers-history">played the most seasons in NBA history</a>, so he doesn’t have much time left. The Lakers shouldn’t be overworking him by making him step up in big-man duties, either. Jackson would be a perfect fit for the Lakers, especially because James and Doncic thrive so much in kicking the ball out to shooters.</p><h2><b>Would the Grizzlies trade Jaren Jackson Jr.?</b></h2><p>Despite Jackson’s seemingly perfect fit on the Lakers roster, a trade is highly unlikely. Not only are the Grizzlies <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25208622-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr-trades-reportedly-arent-being-considered-grizzlies" rel="noopener">not looking</a> to trade their power forward/center, but there are a number of teams who could outbid Los Angeles for Jackson’s services if he were made available.</p><p>The Lakers’ only tradable first-round pick doesn’t come until 2031, so if the Grizzlies were to blow things up, they’d want a lot more draft capital to help in a rebuild. Considering that Bane went for four first-round picks, one first-rounder just wouldn’t get the job done.</p><p>Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht would be intriguing gets for the Grizzlies, though. Reaves averaged 20.2 points per game this past season, and he was even better when he didn’t share the floor with James and/or Doncic. The shooting guard has star potential, and he is only expendable in Los Angeles because he is a somewhat similar player to Doncic. Both guards can shoot, score, and feed their teammates with the best of them, but they both lack athleticism and defense.</p><p>Knecht also had a great rookie season as a 3-point marksman, but the Lakers have shown that they are willing to trade him. Los Angeles tried to answer their center problem by<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-mark-williams-dalton-knecht-trade-shockingly-rescinded"> swapping Knecht for Mark Williams</a>, but the trade was receded after the Charlotte Hornets big man failed his physical.</p><p>This trade would send the Grizzlies in a new direction without forcing them to fully blow things up, but it seems highly unlikely to become reality. Jackson will probably be suiting up for the Grizzlies next season, perhaps even with a new contract.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
17.5	5.0	0.8	1.8	0.5

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
17.5	5.0	0.8	1.8	0.5

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