The Utah Jazz have been a little directionless after blowing it up almost four years. After struggling to pick a lane for two years, they finally picked one, and even then, it's been hard to watch. Many have wondered what the end game is for the Jazz. Well, looks like they have one.
BREAKING: The Memphis Grizzlies are trading star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ax6oQpZx0S
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2026
Oh boy, where to begin?
It still is hard to wrap our heads around this. The Jazz have not typically been ones to pull out trades like this. When they have made big deals in the past, it's to address areas where the team is lacking as the team is winning.
But the Jazz aren't winning right now. Hence, this definitely took everyone by surprise. However, once the excitement falters a bit, it's easy to see why Utah pulled the trigger on the deal.
The Jazz desperately needed defense. They got it
While the Jazz haven't exactly flipped everything this season, their roster as a whole has given fans plenty to be excited about. However, something that clearly does not look better has been their defense.
It's not shocking that the Jazz's defense is as lousy as it is. No Walker Kessler sealed the deal on that, but even when Kessler has played, his impact as a player isn't enough to make it better. Hence, getting a two-way player was more than necessary.
That's why someone like Anthony Davis got floated as a trade target. Warts and all, Davis would give the Jazz a defensive presence, but because he's Anthony Davis, Jazz fans would be apprehensive about acquiring an injury risk.
Enter Jaren Jackson Jr., who not only is the two-way player Utah has needed to add to its roster, but is also only three years removed from winning Defensive Player of the Year. Offensively, he and Lauri Markkanen should be able to terrorize opponents' frontcourts. Defensively, he and Walker Kessler will be a wall that rivals will struggle to penetrate against.
It's true that Jackson is expensive (and if you look at his contract, the numbers only get higher), but he is the big name Utah should invest in. Austin Reaves gets floated as a Jazz target, but what he brings is something Utah already has.
Jackson brings something offensively for sure, but he also gives the Jazz the defensive foritifcation the team has desperately needed since they traded Rudy Gobert.
It's been known for some time that next season, Utah won't play around anymore. Before today, that was only in the abstract, but now, that notion is finally legitimate.