The now totally unrecognizable Memphis Grizzlies sent a clear signal that their competitive era around Ja Morant had ended. Desmond Bane was shipped out last summer; Jaren Jackson Jr.'s contract talks led to open NBA Trade Deadline conversations. In return, they received Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, and three future first-round picks. It's hard to call that great work worth extra credit on EVP/GM Zach Kleiman's report card.
Fans have a right to be disappointed given this core's potential. Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Ja Morant were sitting in second place last February. Now they all reside in different time zones.
Those picks are not exactly inspiring returns. None seems bound to land in the lottery after all. No offense to any of the players coming back, but it's hard to see Clayton Jr., Anderson, Hendricks, or Niang moving the needle soon. They definitely will not sell as many tickets. This deal is a B- or C+ at best.
To contextualize the return, it's worth comparing it to historical trades of star big men. The LA Clippers traded Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons just months after agreeing to a contract extension. In exchange, the Clippers received Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a protected first-round pick (which later became Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), and a second-rounder.
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Where the deal truly underwhelms is in comparison to the 2022 Rudy Gobert trade, which set a modern standard for superstar big-man hauls. The Utah Jazz shipped Gobert (a three-time Defensive Player of the Year) to the Minnesota Timberwolves and received a staggering package. Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Jarred Vanderbilt, Walker Kessler (the No. 22 pick in 2022), plus four unprotected first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027, 2029) and a 2026 pick swap turned heads.
It was a Godfather offer impossible to deny. It's also the most damning lens through which to view the Jackson Jr. return. It established a market ceiling for elite defensive centers. Now, the Jazz have essentially executed a Defensive Player of the Year swap, replacing Gobert with Jackson Jr., another DPOY winner who offers more offensive versatility and is five years younger.
From a pure asset-management standpoint, the decision to move Jaren Jackson Jr. lands somewhere in the uncomfortable middle of the NBA trade-value spectrum. It’s not a disaster. It’s not a heist, but it hurts too much to be an A-level move. Especially since it all but acknowledges that Ja Morant will not be balling on Beale Street for much longer.