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
Grizzlies receive:
- G Walter Clayton Jr.
- F Taylor Hendricks
- F Kyle Anderson
- F Georges Niang 2027
- MIN/CLE/UTA 1st round pick (more favorable)
- 2027 LAL 1st round pick
- PHX 2031 1st round pick
- Jazz:.
Jazz receive:
- F Jaren Jackson Jr.
- G/F John Konchar
- C Jock Landale
- F Vince Williams Jr
Utah Jazz grade: A
The Utah Jazz acquired Jaren Jackson Jr for a pocket of late first-round picks.
Even if that Phoenix Suns pick hits the lottery, it’s still 5 whole ass seasons from now.
I’d rather have 5 years of Jaren Jackson Jr than sucking, waiting for a current 7th grader to work on his post game.
Here’s a potential lineup the Jazz can run next season:
- PG Keyonte George
- SG Ace Bailey
- SF Lauri Markkanen
- PF Jaren Jackson Jr
- C Walker Kessler
And that’s not even including whoever they select in the lottery this summer.
John Konchar and Vince Williams, a decent bench—Utah with dollars in the bank to target the role players they desire
Jaren Jackson Jr is not without warts.
With only 5.8 rebounds per game, Jaren—a 6-foot-10 adult male—ranked 5th on the Grizz.
He ranks 66th in the league.
JJJ’s played 506 more minutes than Giannis with 42 fewer rebounds. If Giannis never plays another minute this season, I don’t think Jaren catches up with him.
When a shot goes off the rim, the batteries run out of Jaren Jackson’s controller.
But between Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kesler and 6-foot-9 guard Ace Bailey, Utah should have enough size to control the glass regardless.
This time next season, the Utah Jazz could easily be battling the Warriors and Clippers and Suns for that 8th seed in the West.
Disclaimer: Ace Bailey has a lot of work to do this offseason. Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecomb are legit rotation players for teams with postseason aspirations. I want Ace Bailey putting up 25 a game next season.
If I’m Utah and I end up with, like, the 5th pick, I’m trading up, attaching Ace Bailey and trying to move to 2nd or 3rd, lord willing.
Memphis Grizzlies grade: A
After scoring 24 in London in a W over the Orlando Magic , Ja Morant said he wanted to stay in Memphis.
“I’ve got a logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be,” Morant said, referring to a tattoo of the team logo.
The Grizzlies would go on to lose their next 7 straight games.
I don’t know if Ja Morant actually wants to stay in Memphis or if he realized 29 other NBA teams weren’t in a rush to acquire his part-time service—but a good way to make sure Ja doesn’t want to be in Memphis, making a trade easier with his compiance, is trading away Jaren Jackson Jr and replacing him with Kyle fucking Anderson.
Memphis is 19-29, even if they can’t move Ja, he’ll wake up with a sore ear or cottonmouth or some shit and miss two weeks of games, so the Grizzlies are officially done winning basketball games this season.
In return for Jaren, Walter Clayton Jr, one of the best college basketball players last season for Florida.
I’d love to see him and Cedric Coward on the court together, buidling chemistry, forming some standard of consistent homeostasis Memphis can build around.
And although those first-round picks don’t look great on paper, it doesn’t matter.
Having a ton of late first-round picks allows you to package them together to go out and acquire the role player you believe your team specially needs. Whether it’s the Knicks grabbing Mikal Bridges or Orlando grabbing Desmond Bane or Utah today with Jaren Jackson Jr.
Memphis has a safe full of first-rounders, ready for the moment they press the “go all in” button.
(This is an A+ if Walter Clayton Jr becomes as impactful as he was in college.)
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