The Utah Jazz weren’t the team expected to make waves at the trade deadline this year, but they surprised everyone on Tuesday, striking a massive deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Jazz have agreed to send Taylor Hendricks, Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks to the Grizzlies and will receive Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr., league sources confirmed to the Deseret News.
Memphis will receive the most favorable 2027 pick of Utah/Minnesota/Cleveland, and the Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick, as well as Phoenix’s 2031 first-rounder.
While much of the NBA world was paying attention to how the Grizzlies would handle Ja Morant and his future as the Thursday trade deadline nears, the Jazz were able to take advantage of the situation, making a move for a defensive star that is under contract through the 2028-29 season (Jackson has a player option for the 2029-30 season).
Memphis is clearly headed for a rebuild, which meant that in addition to Morant being available, Jackson, the two-time All-Star and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, who has been the Grizzlies’ most consistent player over the years, was also up for grabs.
Jackson, who was the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2018 draft, immediately addresses what has been the Jazz’s biggest concern as they have started to put together a core group — defense. The nearly 7-foot Jackson is an obvious interior defender, but has also been a reliable outside defender.
This deal gets done by sending out picks and players, but without depleting the Jazz’s core or future resources. Utah still has eight future first-round picks (between 2026 and 2032) to either make selections or package in future deals and the Jazz now have a core of Lauri Markkanen, Jackson, Walker Kessler, Keyonte George and Ace Bailey to move forward with.
Putting Jackson next to Kessler and Markkanen in an ultra-sized starting lineup is the initial plan for the Jazz. But with Kessler entering restricted free agency after this season, Jackson also serves as incredible insurance against the possibility of Kessler leaving.
In 45 games played this season, 26-year-old Jackson has averages of 19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game, shooting 47.5% overall, 35.9% from 3-point range and 79.7% from the free throw line.