In the United States, we celebrate many holidays and uphold traditions. Some people love Christmas, others like the Fourth of July. But for fans of the NBA, one event on the calendar trumps all others and should be considered a national holiday: the Trade Deadline.<\/p>\n
During this time, NBA fans get to enjoy unfolding drama between players and their front offices, receiving new additions to their team, and laughing at the misery of rival fans whose franchises have entered a rebuild.<\/p>\n
For Utah Jazz fans, the trade deadline brings back memories of acquiring Jordan Clarkson<\/a>, the legendary sixth man, or Jae Crowder<\/a>, the great Jazz enforcer<\/a>. However, this year, fans weren\u2019t expecting much to happen.<\/p>\n JORDAN CLARKSON HAS DONE IT!!<\/p>\n One of the longest-running NBA droughts is officially over. <\/p>\n For the first time since February 13th, 2008: a Utah Jazz player has recorded a regular season triple-double. pic.twitter.com\/spZ8Z3OUGU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 2, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n State of the Jazz Pre-Deadline<\/p>\n Going into the deadline, the Jazz were amidst an almost four-year rebuild, and at most looking to only send veterans away for extra draft capital. Candidates like Svi Mykhailiuk<\/a> and Jusuf Nurkic<\/a> seemed to be on the table this trade season.<\/p>\n On top of that, the Jazz want to hold on to a top-eight protected<\/a> pick so it doesn\u2019t fall into the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, as we\u2019ve now passed the trade window, it\u2019s evident that the Ainges had different plans for this deadline.<\/p>\n On Feb. 3, two days before the deadline, NBA writer Shams Charania announced the Jazz traded for<\/a> two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr.<\/a> This broke Jazz Twitter, leaving many raving about the new star coming to the Wasatch Front.<\/p>\n After the team announced the trade, many questioned what this meant for the Jazz rebuild. Would it mean the Jazz are ready to make a jump this year into the Play-in Tournament, or are they still holding on to their pick? <\/p>\n While fans can speculate plans and intentions, what can be confirmed is that the Jazz traded for a very solid player in Jaren Jackson Jr. who will, at least one day, help their franchise become more competitive.<\/p>\n Who is Jaren Jackson Jr.?<\/p>\n Jackson Jr. played one year of college ball<\/a> at Michigan State University in 2017-18. There, he averaged 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and three blocks per game, earning him the Big Ten Rookie of the Year award.<\/p>\n Though he wasn\u2019t a scorer<\/a> like his confidant Miles Bridges<\/a> at Michigan State, Jackson Jr. made up for that defect in his defensive capability. That year, he was first<\/a> in the entire NCAA with a 7.3 defensive plus-minus. He also ranked fourth in the NCAA in defensive rating with a rating of 86.4.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Being able to control a game on the defensive end at the height of 6-foot-10-inches made Jackson Jr. a promising prospect<\/a> for the NBA draft. His skills didn\u2019t end with just defense; he had offensive tools in his arsenal as well. Jackson Jr. was a force in the post, using his frame to back any defender down and get the easy bucket with the ability to score with both right and left hands.\u00a0<\/p>\n He also showed the promise of becoming a stretch-forward by attempting the three-point shot. Though he only took 1.1 attempts a game, Jackson Jr. managed to keep a 39.6% three-point field goal percentage during his college season.<\/p>\n Even after a short run<\/a> in the NCAA March Madness Tournament, Jackson Jr. was still projected to go in the top 10 in the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery. He did exactly that, being drafted<\/a> fourth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies.<\/p>\n Jackson Jr. Lived Up to the Hype<\/p>\n Since the Grizzlies drafted him, Jaren Jackson Jr. has lived up to his potential as a high-end lottery pick. In the 2023 season, Jackson Jr. was named<\/a> an NBA All-Star for the first time with his now teammate, Lauri Markkanen<\/a>. He again saw his name get called for the All-Star roster<\/a> in 2025. In both All-Star years combined, he averaged 20.4 ppg, 1.1 steals, 1.5 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and a 49.7% field goal percentage.\u00a0<\/p>\n In that same 2023 season, Jackson Jr. was named Defensive Player of the Year<\/a> against the likes of Brook Lopez<\/a> and Evan Mobley<\/a>.\u00a0Defensively, Jackson Jr. led the league in blocks that year, averaging three a game. When he was on the floor, the Grizzlies only allowed 106.6 points per 100 possessions with a defensive rating<\/a> of 105.3.\u00a0<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t just his ability to block shots that earned him the award, but his ability to switch<\/a> onto any player position and hamper them.\u00a0That year, opponents shot 13 percentage points worse than expected when Jackson Jr. was guarding the basket. He is the type of player the Jazz desperately need when they are one of the worst<\/a> teams in defense this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n JJJ\u2019s Postseason Success<\/p>\n With Jaren Jackson Jr. having stellar stats in the regular season, it makes fans wonder, how is he when it comes to the playoffs? <\/p>\n In his tenure with the Grizzlies, Jackson Jr. only made it to the second round of the playoffs once<\/a>. In the first round in 2022, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jackson Jr. took a step back in points production<\/a>, letting teammates Ja Morant<\/a> and Desmond Bane<\/a> do most of the heavy lifting.<\/p>\n However, he made a solid impact on the game, defensively and all-around, as he averaged 2.5 blocks and 6.8 rebounds. His best game in the series was Game 6<\/a> on April 29, 2022, when the Grizzlies clinched the series.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n He made his impact known with 18 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks, a steal, and was a +10 on the night. His contribution helped put the Timberwolves away for a series win. <\/p>\n That wasn\u2019t even Jackson Jr.\u2019s best playoff game. His best was the Game 1 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 16, 2023<\/a>. Jackson Jr. had 31 points, five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks.<\/p>\n Is the Jazz\u2019s Rebuild Over? \u00a0<\/p>\n Since Rudy Gobert<\/a>\u2019s departure, it\u2019s been a bit since Jazz Nation has seen a player of this caliber, and it\u2019s exciting. The acquisition does raise the question: Is the rebuild over? <\/p>\n The answer is yes and no. Yes, the rebuild is over in the sense that the team wants to become more competitive for the 2026-27 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n With the likes of Markkanen being 7-foot-1, Walker Kessler<\/a> 7-foot-2, and adding the forward\/center Jackson Jr. to the mix, the Jazz could potentially be one of the tallest teams in the league. <\/p>\n Opponents are going to have a tough time guarding a team with two major stars over 6-foot-9. Additionally, the Jazz have the likes of Keyonte George<\/a> and Ace Bailey<\/a> developing into star players, which will strengthen the team\u2019s competitiveness.<\/p>\n If George, Markkanen, and Jackson Jr. can meld together well, the Jazz could be a top-six team in the West next year.<\/p>\n Utah Is Dealing With Pick Protections<\/p>\n Given all that, Utah won\u2019t try to make a playoff push this year, even with the acquisition of Jackson Jr., because of the promise of a top pick in the Lottery.<\/p>\n If luck falls their way, the Jazz could add a player like Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, or Darryn Peterson to an already up-and-coming squad. Any would be an exceptional, potentially-franchise-changing acquisition.\u00a0<\/p>\n