If the Memphis Grizzlies win on Saturday, Mar. 29, they'll be instantly propelled to the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference standings. It'd be a remarkable feat for a team that's played 30 games and counting without franchise player Ja Morant.
Unfortunately, the Grizzlies will enter that game having roughly 24 hours to determine what the identity of the team will be after firing head coach Taylor Jenkins.
Taylor Jenkins was called into the Grizzlies office this morning and was fired in person, sources tell ESPN. Stunning dismissal. Jenkins now becomes one of the top head coaching candidates for the upcoming cycle. He had a .539 winning percentage as Grizzlies coach. https://t.co/fKRG7MNY58
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 28, 2025
Just nine games away from the start of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Grizzlies fired the coach who has them on pace to make it despite spending 41.1 percent of the season without their superstar. It's one of the most shocking in-season decisions in recent Association history.
More importantly, it's a decision that's led one to question if anyone in Memphis is truly safe from what may very well be the beginning of a rebuild or a retooling—including star big man Jaren Jackson Jr.
It seemed like a crazy question to ask mere seconds before the Jenkins news broke, but the entire outlook of the organization has changed in the blink of an eye. Now, one can't help but note that Jackson only has one more season remaining on his contract—and the Jenkins news may signal the beginning of the end.
Whether it's via a forced trade or it transpires during the 2026 period of free agency, these three teams are likely to be lining up to steal Jackson from the Grizzlies.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are proof positive of the importance of the right head coach. Just one year removed from going 14-68, Detroit is 41-32 in J.B. Bickerstaff's debut season with the team, thus setting the pace for its first postseason appearance since 2018-19.
As Detroit ponders the best path forward, one can't help but note how dynamic the duo of Cade Cunningham and Jackson would be.
Detroit is uniquely positioned to make noise on the trade front and in free agency. By 2026, the only two players on the roster who will have guaranteed contracts will be Cunningham at $41,754,690 and Isaiah Stewart at $15 million.
The only other players who could be under contract by that point either have rookie-scale club options or will be entering restricted free agency.
Furthermore, Detroit has the combination of promising young talent and draft picks to acquire Jackson via a trade. Memphis would obviously have the final say on if it's willing to trade Jackson, but if he informs the team that he won't re-sign due to their erratic tendencies, they might not have a choice.
Detroit has all of its own first-round draft picks between 2026 and 2031, meaning it could offer Memphis quite a compelling package for the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.
Los Angeles Lakers
For as tired as some may be of hearing how the Los Angeles Lakers can make a trade for a star appear out of thin air, the Luka Doncic deal was a reminder of how often they do it. One would like to think that the Memphis Grizzlies would request more than Los Angeles can offer, but history is on the Lakers' side.
Compounded by the fact that Los Angeles' top offseason priority will be to add a high-level center to its starting lineup, Jackson is all but guaranteed to be on their radar.
The Lakers nearly acquired their center of the future, but the trade for Mark Williams was overturned due to a failed physical. As such, Los Angeles was left with a glaring void along the defensive interior—one Jaxson Hayes has admirably helped fill, but remains nonetheless.
Jackson is the ace defender that JJ Redick could be eyeing, and his symbiotic relationship with Pelinka lends itself to the belief that the Lakers will at least kick the tires.
It's unclear what the Lakers would be willing to offer for Jackson beyond a future first-round draft pick. The playoffs could go a long way toward determining how they envision the Doncic and Austin Reaves pairing working out, however, and Rui Hachimura will have an attractive expiring contract to complement his talent.
One could argue that Los Angeles can offer the least attractive package of any team listed, but they've built 17 title-winning teams by completing trades most believe impossible.
Orlando Magic
Injuries may have disrupted their momentum, but the Orlando Magic are trending in the right direction. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are one of the most promising young duos in the NBA, Jalen Suggs looks like a potential All-Defense mainstay, and trade assets are in abundance.
If the Magic decide to go all-in on the current core and pursue an All-Star to put them over the top, then Jackson is likely to appear at the top of their wishlist.
With Banchero, Suggs, and Wagner, the Magic have a three-player core that can anchor the perimeter and the evolving 4-spot. An absence remains at center, however, despite the collection of quality under-30 bigs such as Goga Bitadze, Wendell Carter Jr., and Moritz Wagner.
Jackson would be able to seamlessly fit in with a young and athletic team that's flush with versatility and committed to defending at a high level.
Banchero and Jackson would form one of the most intriguing interior duos in the NBA. Rebounding would be a question mark, but they'd seemingly complement one another on both ends of the floor, including the fact that Jackson can offer ideal spacing.
Orlando has all of its first-round draft picks through 2031 and the financial flexibility to make a splash during the 2026 period of free agency. As such, Jackson could be a realistic target.