The Grizzlies star recounts the abrupt end of his Memphis tenure and the surreal realization that his eight-year NBA home was gone.
Jaren Jackson Jr. tried to laugh it off before the reality settled in.
In a farewell essay published in The Players’ Tribune, the longtime face of the Memphis Grizzlies detailed the exact moment he learned his eight-year run with the franchise was over — a conversation that came suddenly, awkwardly and without ceremony.
Jackson wrote that his agent had prepared him for the possibility of being moved as the trade deadline approached. Still, when he was told the general manager wanted to speak with him immediately, it felt abrupt.
He walked out of the gym joking with teammates, unsure whether the meeting would actually mark the end.
Inside the room, though, he said he knew.
Memphis had finalized a blockbuster deadline deal sending Jackson, John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks. The transaction signaled a structural reset for both organizations.
Jackson described the aftermath as surreal. When the conversation concluded, he stood there momentarily unsure what to do next, even asking if he could go back upstairs to say goodbye to teammates before officially departing.
The next interaction hit deeper.
He ran into Ja Morant and delivered the news in one word: “Utah.”
Morant’s response stayed with him.
“You been a pro for eight years, just continue to be that,” Jackson wrote.
Eight years is a lifetime in modern NBA terms, particularly for a player drafted at 19 years old. Jackson arrived in Memphis as the fourth overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Michigan State and quickly grew into one of the league’s most versatile two-way big men. Known by nicknames like “JJJ” and “Block Panther,” he developed into a defensive anchor and offensive spacer, capable of protecting the rim while stretching the floor.
Across 452 career games in a Memphis uniform, Jackson averaged 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 46.7% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range. He earned two All-Star selections, three All-Defensive honors and was named the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in blocks.
This season, split between Memphis and Utah, he averaged 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists across 48 games while shooting 47.6% from the field and 80.3% from the free-throw line.
Utah viewed Jackson as a foundational building block alongside Lauri Markkanen, but the transition was short-lived. A post-trade physical revealed a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis growth in his left knee. Jackson underwent surgery in Salt Lake City, and the Jazz announced he will begin rehabilitation before being re-evaluated in four weeks.
Even with the injury and sudden departure, Jackson’s essay focused less on statistics and more on memory — the energy inside FedExForum, the playoff runs, the late-night locker room celebrations and the belief that the Grizzlies’ young core had no ceiling.
He acknowledged that not winning a championship ultimately shortened the group’s window, but he emphasized that his time in Memphis was genuine — both professionally and personally.
“This isn’t really goodbye — it’s see you later. Memphis will always be home,” Jackson wrote.