The Memphis Grizzlies came out of nowhere to swing a blockbuster trade on Sunday, shipping Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony and a supermassive picks package (four first-round selections and a swap).
On the surface, this gives Memphis a bit more flexibility to orient the roster around Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and the latter's forthcoming contract extension. But it also opens the door for a more radical approach: that of a complete teardown and rebuild.
Bane was probably the most durable member of Memphis' core. Ja Morant is a tremendous talent, but he's a deeply flawed player whose availability concerns get worse by the year. It's unclear if the Grizzlies can realistically expect to build a perennial contender around him. And, while Jackson is an all-world defender and a budding offensive co-star, he is not the centerpiece of a title team. He is an elite second or third-best player.
The 2026 NBA Draft will feature the strongest class in years. There are several potential franchise-changing talents at the top. Now is the time to bottom out if you're the Grizzlies, equipped with a vast collection of future picks, which can be expanded upon with a Jaren Jackson and/or Ja Morant trade.
Let's focus on JJJ for now, because he probably has the highest market value. Here are a few intriguing trade packages that would make sense for all parties involved.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Cade Cunningham can put Detroit in the East's upper echelon
Grizzlies receive: Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, 2025 second-round pick (No. 37), 2027 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick swap, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick
Pistons receive: Jaren Jackson Jr.
If Desmond Bane set the market, this feels like the approximate right value for Jaren Jackson Jr. The Detroit Pistons essentially mortgage their future, but now is the best time to go all-in — with Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and Jaden Ivey all locked up for the next five-plus years at least, with a chance to extend Jackson as well.
Jackson is pretty much the perfect Cunningham co-star on paper. He's an elite, rangy rim protector who can share the floor with a more traditional, paint-bound shot-blocker like Duren. Offensively, Jackson bombs spot-up 3s with the abandon of a sharpshooting wing. He has also developed into a more potent face-up scorer, comfortable beating closeouts downhill and carving out points near the basket.
Between Jackson, Duren and Thompson, Detroit would have arguably the best defensive backbone in the Eastern Conference. Cunningham, meanwhile, is one of the NBA's most effective heliocentric creators. He can benefit from Jackson's unique gravitational pull, whether the Michigan State product is spotting up on the wing or forcing defenders to scramble in pick-and-pop actions.
Memphis receives Ron Holland, FanSided's No. 1 prospect in the 2024 draft, and Isaiah Stewart, who can replicate some of Jackson's shooting in the frontcourt — along with adding a serious competitive edge in terms of physicality as a defender and rebounder. Throw in a massive haul of picks, and this ought to intrigue Memphis enough to get a deal across the finish line.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is exactly what the Raptors need to complete their retool
Grizzlies receive: RJ Barrett, 2025 first-round pick (No. 9), 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick
Raptors receive: Jaren Jackson Jr.
The Toronto Raptors are expected to go big game hunting this offseason. While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant are the clear priority targets, Jackson is a more than adequate fallback option. We know Masai Ujiri values length and versatility. Jackson fits right in with Toronto's M.O., plus he's a tremendous offensive fit, allowing more space for Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram to do their damage inside the arc.
We can debate whether Toronto is actually in a position to go all-out, but the East is wide open. There's a reason Orlando swung the Desmond Bane trade — and a reason teams like Detroit and Toronto are potentially ready to swing for the fences, too. Barnes is a legitimate cornerstone piece; his defensive malleability, combined with Jackson's ground coverage and shot-blocking, would make Toronto difficult to score on. Not to mention Jakob Poeltl's hulking presence at the rim.
Between Jackson, Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick, Toronto is suddenly rife with high-volume, dynamic movement shooters who can also beat closeouts, score around the basket and give the offense some variance. Barnes spends his time toggling between power forward and point guard duties. Ingram, flaws and all, is a potent pull-up shooter and a legitimate pick-and-roll creator who can carry an offense night to night. This Raptors group would boast a lot of talent, all of which fits together quite nicely.
In exchange, Memphis takes on an ascending RJ Barrett — once the No. 3 pick, right behind No. 2 pick Ja Morant — and gets a top-10 pick, in addition to the No. 16 pick from the Desmond Bane trade, in this month's NBA Draft. Add in three future picks, and that's a nice haul.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Victor Wembanyama is a defensive nightmare for the next decade
Grizzlies receive: Devin Vassell, 2025 first-round pick (No. 14), 2027 first-round pick (via ATL), 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick swap (via SAC)
Spurs receive: Jaren Jackson Jr.
We know the San Antonio Spurs are also in the Giannis-KD sweepstakes (with the latter looking far more likely at this point), but neither is a guaranteed outcome. And, frankly, if Trip is made available by Memphis, it's not hard to mount an argument that he is a more desirable target than Durant due to his age. At 25 years old, Jackson has the potential to anchor San Antonio's frontcourt alongside Victor Wembanyama for the next decade.
While the Spurs probably envision a bit more physicality next to Wemby in the frontcourt, they aren't in a position to split hairs. Wemby and Jackson immediately becomes the most suffocating and imposing defensive frontcourt in modern NBA history. Maybe ever? Wemby is the NBA's most dominant, all-consuming rim protector. Jackson can float on the weak side, switch one through five, and lead the NBA in blocks any given year. Well, that was the case before Wemby became the annual blocks title lock.
Jackson and Wemby can both space the floor and create off the dribble against slow-footed bigs. With De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle generating constant paint touches and setting the offense in motion, the Spurs become awfully difficult to contain. San Antonio once won a championship with David Robinson and Tim Duncan in the frontcourt. This could be a modern spin on that arrangement for the Spurs.
For Memphis, Devin Vassell is one of the NBA's most underrated players — a dynamic shot-making wing with considerable upside if he puts the pieces together defensively. In addition to Vassell and a late lottery pick in this month's draft, the Grizzlies get a valuable unprotected pick from the Hawks in 2027, as well as San Antonio's 2029 first-round pick and swap rights with Sacramento in 2031. God only knows what the Kings look like in 2031.