The Los Angeles Lakers are on the prowl for a center, and Sunday's blockbuster trade might've given the front office a wide enough opening to inquire about Jaren Jackson Jr. Orlando sent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks, and a first-round pick swap to Memphis for Desmond Bane.
It was the first move of what should be a hectic offseason. The Grizzlies had been on the flip side of trade discussions over the past few years, searching for a star to acquire. Memphis couldn't ignore Orlando's offer, which was the Magic's way of going all-in to make a run in a weakened conference.
Attention is on what the Grizzlies could do next, and if Jackson could hit the market. He has one more season left on his current deal and is eligible to sign an extension this offseason. Will he agree to a new deal to remain in Memphis? NBA insider Brian Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective podcast that "all signs point toward" Jackson signing an extension this summer and not being traded.
Still, the Lakers need to call the Grizzlies (if they haven't already) and see if they'd be willing to part with Jackson. LA is limited in what it can offer in a trade, but given the team's need, it's worth a shot. It wouldn't be shocking if Memphis opted to trade JJJ, even though that isn't the current belief. Maybe he no longer wants to stay with the Grizzlies. You never know.
Lakers need to reach out to Grizzlies about Jaren Jackson Jr. trade
Jackson is seven months younger than Luka Doncic, so he'll turn 26 before the season starts. He'd give the Lakers (and Luka) the long-term starting center that they need. Acquiring Jackson this offseason is a dream scenario for LA.
He makes an impact on both ends of the floor, upping his value. Jackson won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022-23, the season in which he averaged a career-high 3.0 blocks per game. He averaged 22.2 points (nearly reaching his career-high of 22.5), 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game this past season, shooting 48.4% from the field and a career-best 37.5% from three.
The issue with a JJJ trade is that if the Grizzlies express they're open to listening to offers, the Lakers could be outbid by another team, perhaps even the Warriors, who need a big man. Perhaps Rob Pelinka could conjure up some of the magic that it took to get Luka and use it in another trade (plus Austin Reaves) for Jackson. One can dream!