The Grizzlies and Jazz have agreed to a blockbuster trade, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Utah is acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. in a massive swing for a franchise cornerstone. The Jazz will also receive John Konchar, Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr., per Charania.
Memphis, meanwhile, is taking the long view. The Grizzlies will receive Walter Clayton, Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, and Georges Niang, along with three future first-round picks, sources tell ESPN.
As noted by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Grizzlies now have 13 first-round picks in the next seven years — tying them with the Thunder and Nets.
Niang has been traded four times in the past year. This one will reunite him with former Cavaliers teammate Ty Jerome in Memphis. That is, assuming Niang sticks.
The move lands as a shock across the league. Multiple reports leading into the deadline had Memphis signaling that Jackson was not available and that the franchise planned to continue building around him long term. That stance clearly changed, and it changed fast.
There had been quiet curiosity from rival teams about whether the Grizzlies might reconsider, but there was no real indication that Utah was among the aggressive suitors.
The Jazz, sitting at 15-35 entering Tuesday, were widely expected to remain patient and lean into their draft capital rather than cash it in now.
Instead, Utah did exactly that.
The three first-round picks heading to Memphis underline just how serious the Jazz were. Per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the package includes the Lakers’ unprotected 2027 pick, the most favorable of the Cavaliers’, Timberwolves’, or Jazz’s own 2027 first-rounder, and the Suns’ unprotected 2031 pick.
That is a premium haul, even by modern trade standards.
From Memphis’ side, the deal reshapes the roster and timeline around Ja Morant, while adding depth, flexibility, and long-term assets. From Utah’s perspective, it is a decisive pivot. The Jazz are no longer stockpiling. They are betting on a proven, elite defensive anchor in his prime.
One thing is certain. This is not a wait-and-see move. It is a statement.
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