{"id":581509,"date":"2026-02-04T09:01:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T09:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/581509\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T09:01:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T09:01:25","slug":"jazz-acquire-jaren-jackson-jr-from-grizzlies-in-eight-player-three-pick-swap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/581509\/","title":{"rendered":"Jazz Acquire Jaren Jackson Jr From Grizzlies In Eight-Player, Three-Pick Swap"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Utah Jazz<\/a> have indicated that 2025-26 would be the final year of rebuilding. By making a big move to acquire Jaren Jackson Jr., the Jazz are backing that up. The Memphis Grizzlies<\/a> have made another move that seems to be pushing them towards a total makeover.<\/p>\n

Here are the particulars:<\/p>\n

Utah Jazz acquire: Jaren Jackson Jr.<\/a>, John Konchar<\/a>, Jock Landale<\/a>, Vince Williams Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n

Memphis Grizzlies acquire: Kyle Anderson<\/a>, Walter Clayton Jr.<\/a>, Taylor Hendricks<\/a>, Georges Niang<\/a>, 2027 most-favorable first-round pick (likely Jazz), 2027 Lakers first-round pick (top-4 protected), 2031 Suns first-round pick<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n

Utah Jazz<\/p>\n

Incoming salary: $45.7 million in 2025-26<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF\/C, five years, $240 million (final season player option)), John Konchar (SG\/SF, two years, $12.3 million), Jock Landale (C, one year, $2.3 million), Vince Williams Jr. (SG\/SF, two years, $4.8 million (final season team option))<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Outgoing salary: $27.5 million in 2025-26<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Kyle Anderson (PF, two years, $18.9 million (final season non-guaranteed)), Walter Clayton Jr. (PG, four years, $19.3 million (final two seasons team options)), Taylor Hendricks (SF\/PF, two years, $13.9 million (RFA in 2027)), Georges Niang (PF, one year, $8.2 million)<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

This is an example of \u201cpre-agency\u201d at its finest. The Utah Jazz were set to have nearly $50 million in cap space this offseason. Now, the Jazz will have Jaren Jackson Jr. under contract as part of a jumbo-sized frontcourt. Utah made the decision that there wasn\u2019t going to be a free agent, or another trade, that would be better than getting Jackson now.<\/p>\n

In Jackson, the Jazz get one of the best defensive big men in the game. Jackson is a good shot-blocker. He\u2019s an outstanding on-ball defender who is able to defend 1-5. He\u2019s not a strong rebounder, but Utah should have that covered with Walker Kessler.<\/p>\n

On offense, Jackson can stretch the floor, even if his shot is a bit streaky. The big man can do a little ballhandling and facilitation, but he\u2019s best as a play-finisher vs being used too much as a creator.<\/p>\n

When you put it together Jackson is worthy of his former All-Star status and the regular awards he gets for his defense. Jackson is also only 26 years old, so there\u2019s still some room for untapped improvement. And that\u2019s where Utah has to hope that there is still some room to grow.<\/p>\n

On his current $35 million salary, Jackson feels properly paid, and perhaps a bit underpaid. Next season, when his salary bumps up to $49 million, flowed by $50-plus million for the next four years, the deal starts to feel a bit heavy. However, if Jackson continues to produce and defend at an All-Defense level, the contract should age just fine.<\/p>\n

The Jazz intend to re-sign Walker Kessler this summer to a long-term deal. He\u2019ll team with Jackson and Lauri Markkanen in a big, versatile frontcourt. Those three should make a nice trio moving forward.<\/p>\n

The other players the Jazz acquired in this deal come with strengths too. Jock Landale gives the team center coverage this year if they trade Jusuf Nurkic. With Kessler out for the season, Kevin Love rested regularly (and possibly on the move too), and Utah not wanting to overextend Kyle Filipowski at the five, Landale is a helpful player to have around.<\/p>\n

Vince Williams Jr. is a good, versatile player. He\u2019s logged a lot of minutes for Memphis this year as their primary creator, and Williams has held up well. He\u2019ll fit in nicely on the wing or in the backcourt rotation for Utah.<\/p>\n

John Konchar has shown flashes of being a solid shooter at time. He\u2019s an outstanding rebounder for a wing too. There\u2019s nothing fancy here, but Konchar could be a solid rotation player, or $6.1 million trade chip for a future deal.<\/p>\n

The Jazz likely were not thrilled about having to give up Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks in this trade. But, as the old saying goes, you have to give something to get something. Clayton was moved from a position of strength with Keyonte George having a breakout season and Isaiah Collier looking like at a solid backup, with potential for more. Hendricks is still finding his stride after coming back from a broken leg, but with Jazz have a lot of forwards under contract.<\/p>\n

Kyle Anderson and Georges Niang were both acquired this offseason in salary-related trades and haven\u2019t played a big on-court role for the Jazz this season.<\/p>\n

As far as the draft picks go, the best pick Utah gave up looks like that 2031 Suns pick. Who knows what that pick will be this far out? If the Jazz and Lakers go as expected next season, there\u2019s a good chance that both of those selections will be non-lottery picks. And Utah still has seven first-round picks moving forward to use in future deals.<\/p>\n

Memphis Grizzlies<\/p>\n

Incoming salary: $27.5 million in 2025-26<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Kyle Anderson (PF, two years, $18.9 million (final season non-guaranteed)), Walter Clayton Jr. (PG, four years, $19.3 million (final two seasons team options)), Taylor Hendricks (SF\/PF, two years, $13.9 million (RFA in 2027)), Georges Niang (PF, one year, $8.2 million)<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Outgoing salary: $45.7 million in 2025-26<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF\/C, five years, $240 million (final season player option)), John Konchar (SG\/SF, two years, $12.3 million), Jock Landale (C, one year, $2.3 million), Vince Williams Jr. (SG\/SF, two years, $4.8 million (final season team option))<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

The Memphis Grizzlies are rebuilding. While the Desmond Bane trade could be pitched as a reset move, trading Jackson for a package headlined by young players, draft picks and cap flexibility, there\u2019s no doubt Memphis is rebuilding.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s fine! It\u2019s probably even good!<\/p>\n

The Grizzlies gave it a long run with the trio built around Jackson, Bane and Ja Morant. They committed a lot of money to that trio too. Now, they\u2019re starting over.<\/p>\n

In this deal, Memphis wiped $240 million off the books for Jackson alone. They cleared just over $18 million off their year\u2019s books and would be under the cap if it wasn\u2019t for the record $28.8 million TPE the Grizzlies created in this deal for Jackson.<\/p>\n

Next season, Memphis knocked about $45 million off their cap sheet. Expect the shedding to continue, which is where we\u2019ll go next.<\/p>\n

When the Grizzlies first put Ja Morant on the market, they wanted a package of draft picks and\/or young talent. Now, Memphis got that package from Utah. Could they be enticed by a similar return to what the Hawks got for Trae Young of expiring salary and a nice role player? If so, Morant could be on the move before the deadline, or before next season. Either way, as the Grizzlies kick off this rebuild, Morant\u2019s time in Memphis seems short.<\/p>\n

Similarly, look for the Grizzlies to try to move Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and possibly Brandon Clarke too. The two veterans are out of place on a rebuilding team.<\/p>\n

The Grizzlies are going to build around a young core that consists of Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells, Cam Spencer, and the newly-acquired Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks. There isn\u2019t a surefire blue-chip prospect in that group, but there\u2019s a ton of potential, especially with Coward. Ty Jerome and Santi Aldama will likely stick around to make sure the team doesn\u2019t trend too young.<\/p>\n

Memphis will hit the offseason with potentially a good amount of cap space, or a massive TPE and the full Non-Taxpayer MLE. They now have 12 first-round picks over the next seven drafts, including five over the next two years. That\u2019s really good place to start over from.<\/p>\n

It hurts to say goodbye to team that a fanbase had fallen for. Memphis fans loved this version of the Grizzlies. But this was the right move for the franchise to move forward. They\u2019ve got a ton of assets, cap flexibility and already existing young talent. This could be a momentary setback to set up for a major comeback for the Grizzlies.<\/p>\n

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