As we inch closer to the trade deadline, the Memphis Grizzlies have decided to trade their star forward, Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz along with a bunch of other players. This news comes as a surprise after the Grizzlies had put their All-Star guard, Ja Morant, on the trading block a couple of months ago. However, there seems to be hardly any interest in him with his drop in numbers and disciplinary issues.

According to NBA Insider Shams Charania, eight players were involved in this massive two-team trade. “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,” he reported on Tuesday.

Jackson, 26, is in his eighth season in the NBA and has averaged 19.2 points on .475 shooting, 5.8 boards, and 1.5 blocks over 30.7 minutes a night. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year will surely elevate the Utah Jazz roster with his presence as the Grizzlies aim to rebuild. Considering that they had already traded Jackson, a Ja Morant trade could be around the corner, as they have already let go of Desmond Bane before this season.

After this trade, the Grizzlies now have 13 first-rounders for the next seven years. They are tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brooklyn Nets in terms of most first-round picks, as per Insider Bobby Marks. Also, in moving Jackson, the Grizzlies have created the largest trade exception of $28.8 million in NBA history.

Jackson signed a three-year contract extension, which begins next season, and will pay him an additional $151 million through the 2028-29 season. He will be the nucleus of the Jazz lineup as he will suit up in a team that already has players like Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, and Lauri Markkanen.

What does Jaren Jackson Jr’s trade mean for Ja Morant’s future at the Grizzlies?

The Memphis Grizzlies have properly begun their rebuilding by trading Jaren Jackson Jr and many believe that this could also mean the end of Ja Morant’s run with the team. The rebuilding was long-awaited in the first full season under Iisalo, which has been majorly affect with injuries and second-half struggles.

By trading Jackson, Memphis has shown that they are not looking at win-now players in exchange, and their primary focus is on the future. They have multiple first-round picks that they gained in their deal for Bane through the Orlando Magic last summer. They have again secured three more first-rounders in this Jackson trade from the Jazz, who have held the draft capital close to their chest and have benefited from it by drafting Ace Bailey and Keyonte George.

Memphis has added Anderson, whose contract is set to expire next season. Meanwhile, Niang’s contract expires this offseason, and both of them are extremely easy pieces to move around if they don’t want them on the roster for next season. The other two are Clayton, who was a late first-round pick by the Jazz after he won the NCAA Championship with the University of Florida, and he has been pretty solid in his rookie season, and could be beneficial in their rebuild. Similarly, Hendricks also has some upside with his defensive skills that should see him fit in Memphis’ frontcourt for the time being. Everything here suggests that Ja Morant could be traded next as the trade deadlines heat up.

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The draft stocks are extremely down for point guards, as seen in the trade of Trae Young, who moved from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards. Similarly, Morant also doesn’t have a huge market as his stocks are considerably down due to his questionable three-point shooting. Overall, All-Star is averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists per contest while shooting 41% from the field and 23.5% from beyond the arc. Injuries and other disciplinary issues have brought down his trade stocks in the market. If they don’t get a suitable deal, then there could be a rare occasion of keeping Morant in the roster. It will be intriguing to see which direction the Grizzlies move from here on.