NBA trade deadline week is in full swing now and a massive deal on Tuesday has moved one of the Detroit Pistons’ potential targets to a new team.
Former Michigan State standout and 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. has been dealt from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Utah Jazz in a multi-player deal that nets the Grizzlies three future first-round draft picks, according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The full deal sends Jackson, John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr. to the Jazz. Returning to Memphis will be Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and the draft compensation.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Jazz are trading the most favorable of three first-rounders currently owned in 2027, the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick and Phoenix’s 2031 first-round pick.
It was quite a haul to get the 26-year-old, two-time All-Star and three-time All-Defensive Team selection to Utah.
The Pistons were among the teams who reportedly expressed interest in Jackson leading up to Tuesday’s report. A defense-first forward with scoring chops — averaging 19.2 points on 48% shooting this season — is the exact kind of player that could’ve fit Detroit’s system well.
However, the Pistons have been reported as a team not expected to get too aggressive in the trade market. They would be more likely to add around the margins of their East-leading roster, as they did last season when acquiring Dennis Schroder as part of the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State.
Detroit’s still been linked to some big-name forwards like Michael Porter Jr. and Miles Bridges or modest adds like Dallas Mavericks wing Naji Marshall or Charlotte Hornets guard Collin Sexton.
The roster could’ve tried to make a big leap adding the likes of Jackson, who was a one-and-done with the Spartans in 2017-18 before being selected fourth overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Jackson was a major forced in a 30-win squad under Tom Izzo in his lone college season, being named the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and making the All-Big Ten Third Team.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a quiet week from the Pistons, who feel like they’re in a good spot, but as other high-profile players start moving around it may impact Detroit’s interest in getting involved.