Given all the rumors surrounding Ja Morant before the trade deadline, the timing surprised many when the Grizzlies sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah. The Grizzlies created additional flexibility, and Jackson Jr. is a strong fit for a Jazz team that should really take off next season. However, one Eastern Conference playoff team made a strong push for him, and that was the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors are coming off a hard-fought seven-game series loss to the Cavs and showed a strong defensive toughness the Grizzlies must create again soon. Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported that the Raptors were working to trade for Jaren Jackson Jr. at this past trade deadline before he was sent to Utah.
The main hold-up was that the Raptors couldn't find a team to take on Jakob Poeltl's four-year $104 million deal that is still owed to him.
Did the Grizzlies take the right deal?
Even though the specifics of the deal weren't known, Jackson Jr.'s market likely topped out at three first-round picks given that his five-year $240 million extension is set to kick in this summer. While Walter Clayton Jr. struggled in Memphis so far, Taylor Hendricks looks like a piece that remains worth developing for the Grizzlies.
A lot of the trade will come down to how well the Grizzlies used the picks they received, but the report begs the questions of if the Grizzlies could've gotten a quality player haul from Toronto as well. Regardless, the Grizzlies decided to punt on their once-promising core, and it will be essential to find the right players to lead the next era.
What this report can still mean for the Grizzlies
The Raptors simply need to find a way out of Jakob Poeltl's contract. It is clear that they will have to attach an unprotected first-round pick and potentially more just to find a taker for his deal. It might not end up being a popular idea amongst Grizzlies fans, but taking on Poeltl's deal should absolutely become worth exploring this offseason.
The great thing for the Grizzlies as they continue to rebuild is that they have an absolute war chest of picks. Why not add to it? At the same time, the Grizzlies can still boost their frontcourt depth even though Poeltl has not lived up to expectations in Toronto since signing his deal. Another factor to consider is that if the Grizzlies have to attach draft capital to trade Ja Morant, a Poeltl trade would help them recoup some draft capital.
The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade was a difficult decision but one that will define the franchise in the coming seasons. Utah is a strong fit for Jaren Jackson Jr., but it would have been interesting to see how strong the Raptors would have been defensively with a Jaren Jackson Jr., Scottie Barnes, and Collin Murray-Boyles core.
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