GM Zach Kleiman reveals the rationale behind trading Jaren Jackson Jr., detailing the franchise's strategic pivot for long-term flexibility and future building.
The Memphis Grizzlies chose clarity over continuity, sending a franchise cornerstone to Utah in a deal that signaled a full organizational reset.
Memphis dealt two-time All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., along with John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr., to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. In return, the Memphis Grizzlies received Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round draft picks as the trade deadline approached.
The move closed an eight-season chapter for Jackson, who was selected No. 4 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and developed into one of the league’s premier two-way bigs. This season, Jackson averaged 19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 blocks across 45 games. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2022–23 and, alongside Ja Morant, helped lift Memphis from a lottery regular into a consistent postseason contender.
General manager Zach Kleiman said the decision followed months of evaluation shaped by injuries and an uncertain competitive ceiling.
Kleiman explained that the front office entered the season believing the roster deserved a full opportunity to compete.
“We did want to give this group every opportunity,” Kleiman said.
He noted that optimism surrounded the offseason additions, but persistent health issues altered the calculus.
“We were excited about the additions that we brought in going into the season,” Kleiman said. “Unfortunately, most of the group hasn’t been healthy again. It’s not an excuse by any means, but the reality of the situation put us in a spot heading into this deadline.”
Kleiman described last offseason as a crossroads, with multiple potential directions available depending on how the season unfolded.
“We kind of had a fork in the road coming out of last season, where there were different ways that we could continue to build, different ways that we could pivot based on the information in front of us,” he said.
As discussions intensified with Utah and other teams, Memphis focused on long-term flexibility rather than short-term patchwork.
“I don’t want to say it was a relatively clear decision,” Kleiman said, “but we had conviction that the pathway to building a team that can achieve higher-end outcomes involved making a move to that effect.”
The Grizzlies ultimately centered the deal on draft capital and younger talent.
“As we weighed the offer from Utah and other teams, to be able to bring in three first-round picks, a player in Walter Clayton Jr. who we thought highly of in the most recent draft, there was a lot of flexibility that we generated in connection with that trade as well,” Kleiman said.
Kleiman emphasized that the move was as much about organizational direction as roster mechanics.
“We felt good about the return and we felt it healthier for the organization to turn the page as much as we were able to at this deadline and be able to build this team with a clear mind as to what we’re trying to achieve going forward,” he said. “Which is pivoting to a younger build. We’re not shying away from that. That’s where this team is.”
Utah adds Jackson to a core led by All-Star Lauri Markkanen, guard Keyonte George and emerging wing Ace Bailey, with center Walker Kessler currently sidelined by injury. Jackson is under contract through the 2029–30 season, with a player option in the final year. Konchar is signed through next season, Williams carries a team option for 2026–27, and Landale is set to become a free agent this summer after enjoying the most productive season of his career.
For Memphis, the incoming players bring familiarity and developmental upside. Anderson returns for a second stint with the Grizzlies after playing there from 2018–22. Hendricks, the No. 9 pick in the 2023 draft, is averaging 4.9 points and 3.0 rebounds, while Clayton Jr., selected 18th overall in 2025, has posted 6.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
The Grizzlies enter the stretch run at 19–29, sitting 11th in the Western Conference and three games back of the final Play-In Tournament spot. Utah, now 15–35 and riding a six-game losing streak, used its surplus of young assets and picks to acquire a proven star — while Memphis formally embraced a new timeline.