The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off their first playoff appearance since the 2016-17 season and the team is looking to solidify their core players around star point guard Ja Morant. That starts with keeping guys like Jaren Jackson Jr. around for the foreseeable future as the team agreed to a four-year extension worth $105 million, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He becomes the eighth player to sign an extension ahead of Monday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline for the 2018 draft class to sign.
Jackson Jr. only played in a mere 11 games last season but has proven himself as a valuable asset alongside Morant. Through three seasons in Memphis, Jackson Jr. has averaged 15.4 points on 48.0% shooting from the floor (37.4% 3-pointers) with 1.7 triples 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. This season he returns to what looks like a revamped Grizzlies roster…
Memphis had far from a quiet offseason as the team made one of the biggest moves prior to the 2021 NBA Draft. A monster trade sent big man Jonas Valanciunas along with the 17th and 51st pick in the draft to New Orleans for Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe, the 10th pick, the 40th pick, and a 2022 first-round pick. They later flipped Bledsoe to the Clippers for Rajon Rondo, Patrick Beverley, and Daniel Oturu. Rondo was later bought out and eventually reunited with the Lakers while Beverley was sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez.
The Grizzlies had two first-round picks, which they used to select Zaire Williams and Santi Aldama who should be able to learn from Morant, Jackson Jr., and Dillion Brooks as they should see legitimate minutes as the season progresses.
