Since the start of the new year, the Grizzlies have struggled significantly and now find themselves outside of the play-in spots. As the Grizzlies continue to battle with injuries and in-game decision-making, rumors have started to intensify for stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Despite multiple teams being linked to Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies would be wise to not trade him at this year's trade deadline.
As a result of the coaching change and an offseason surgery for a right turf toe injury, Jaren Jackson Jr. got off to a slow start this season. In recent weeks, Jackson Jr. has been getting closer to his previous best, especially on offense. However, the Grizzlies have failed to really maximize his offensive talents, especially with the team missing multiple key players.
The Grizzlies can still unlock his offensive potential
Jaren Jackson Jr.'s scoring average is down almost four points from last year, in which he averaged 22.5 points in just 29.8 minutes per game. Despite the decrease in scoring average, his efficiency for this year is not far off from last year's. In theory, Jackson Jr. was in a position to be featured more offensively following the Desmond Bane trade, but his shot volume is down from last year.
One of the challenges that Tuomas Iisalo has faced as head coach is making Jackson Jr. a focal point on offense. Another significant area of execution that the Grizzlies have struggled with all season has been entry passes to the post.
Back in December, Iisalo admitted that the Grizzlies could look to get Jackson Jr. more involved on offense, especially with touches in the post. Despite Jackson Jr. inching closer to his shot volume of the previous two seasons in recent weeks, the Grizzlies have still underutilized him. He remains a high-level isolation scorer and, with the right entry passing around him, can have increased production as a post player.
Jackson Jr.'s two-way value outweighs his flaws
While the criticisms of foul trouble and rebounding remain valid for Jackson Jr., his skillset is one that is clearly coveted around the league. Having previously won the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year award and making multiple NBA All-Defensive teams, Jackson Jr. still remains a premier defender in the league.
Despite a slow start, Jackson Jr. currently has a defensive field goal percentage (dFG%) of 42%, per NBA.com. He is also recording 2.3 blocks per 100 possessions, which ranks in the 90th percentile. While Jackson Jr. is still nearing his offensive best, his ability to still alter shots at a high level has been impactful for a Grizzlies team that can use more quality defenders.
Jackson Jr.'s defensive reputation paired with the fact he still remains a capable scorer has made him highly coveted by other teams. The Grizzlies have multiple things to address with roster construction and coaching, but it is in the best interest of the Grizzlies to hold onto him at this year's trade deadline.