Amid all the bad press the Utah Jazz are getting for blatantly throwing away their matchup against the Orlando Magic, the biggest takeaway is that Jaren Jackson Jr. was exactly what the doctor ordered. Almost everything Utah previously lacked has now been given to them through Jackson.
There is only one problem with trading for JJJ, and it has nothing to do with him as a player. The only problem is getting him to include Memphis in the tank race. Although the Grizzlies kept Ja Morant at the trade deadline, they only did so because his value is at an all-time low.
If it were higher, he would be following in the same footsteps as Jackson and Desmond Bane. Make no mistake: the Grizzlies made these moves because the Morant era is over and they want to start over. While the Jazz are clearly tanking, the Grizzlies’ moves suggest they plan to do the same, meaning Morant won’t play as many games in the future.
Not only is this a talented draft class, but it’s also quite loaded, meaning Memphis is about to introduce their next face of the franchise, so it’s in their best interest to make their lottery odds as high as possible. That could hinder Utah’s plans as they want to do the same but also take the right precautions to ensure they make the pick they can give to Oklahoma City.
Currently, the Jazz are ranked No. 6 in the tank race with a record of 16-37, while the Grizzlies are No. 8 with a record of 20-31, giving Utah a five-game lead with 29 games remaining. The Jazz have kept the Grizzlies at bay, but who knows if that will last?
That won’t be a problem next year
That’s the biggest advantage of this: it’s all temporary. Utah’s tank will be out for a while at the end of this season (pending any unforeseen injuries in the future, which are certainly on the table).
After that, the Grizzlies should no longer be of any importance to the Jazz. At least not until Memphis builds their next playoff contender, which likely won’t happen for a few years. Plus, the Grizzlies handed over one of their cornerstones who should form some excellent Jazz teams.
Honestly, even if the Grizzlies overtake the Jazz, they’ll be able to live with that as long as they keep the top six prospects. But after games like last night, it would be miraculous if Memphis could actually achieve that.
#Jaren #Jackson #trade #hidden #downside #Jazz #major #consequences