With Ja Morant expected to be on his way out of Memphis, there will only be one member left of the original core that fans in that city expected to guide the way for a bright future. That would be Jaren Jackson Jr. If the star big man hits the trade market too, the Los Angeles Lakers should avoid him.
Morant, Jackson, Desmond Bane, and Dillon Brooks were the four players that headlined what was once one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA. Brooks left first. Bane soon followed. Now, it's Morant's turn, and many are quickly wondering how far behind Jackson might be.
Jake Fischer noted that part of the intent with moving Morant would be to pave the way for an extension with the Grizzlies big. Memphis would be Jackson's team moving forward. However, there is an obvious curiosity to see if the Grizzlies could be interested in taking things one step further.
Fischer wrote, "That stance, mind you, is not going to stop rival teams from calling to inquire about the availability of the 6-foot-10 forward affectionately known as “Trip’ in The 901. ... Numerous rival executives have been whispering about Jackson all season."
Jaren Jackson Jr.'s fatal flaw would further expose a Lakers weakness
Firstly, let's get the obvious out of the way. Do the Lakers have a realistic path they would like to land Jackson? Given their limited assets and who they would be comfortable giving up, it is unlikely. Even if they did, is the former top-five pick what they need?
On the positive end, Jackson is a great defender. The Lakers could benefit from having the former Defensive Player of the Year down low. There is also value to be found with his ability to stretch the court. 3-point shooting has been a constant plus of his offensive game. That remains true with 36.1 percent on 5.2 attempts from deep this season.
The problem starts when looking at the boards. Jackson is well-known to be a negative on the glass, relative to his size. That is doubly tough considering the Lakers would probably much rather having him play at the five than the four.
Los Angeles is already one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. They rank towards the bottom of the league when it comes to the per game averages. Jackson would only make that worse.
The Lakers could eventually trying to build around that, but that creates yet another roster hurdle to overcome for a team that already faces fragility in other departments.
There is an easy argument to be made for the Lakers not overdoing it in the frontcourt before Feb. 5. The personnel up front is uninspiring, but is mostly manageable with its faults. Considering some strong options in 2026 free agency, Los Angeles could be content in the present.