Could Jaren Jackson Jr. Be On His Way Out Of Memphis?

When it comes to the Memphis Grizzlies, the spotlight has been on Ja Morant this trade season. Interestingly, one insider thinks that a 6-foot-10 teammate of Morant’s is being overlooked by the rumor mill.

According to NBA insider Jake Weinbach, Jaren Jackson Jr. is a “dark horse candidate” who could be on the move on or before February 5. Interestingly, Weinbach reports that JJJ and the Grizzlies organization have different views on his future with the franchise.

“The Grizzlies still appear to view the two-time All-Star as a franchise cornerstone, but that feeling may not be mutual, especially if the organization were to part ways with fellow star Ja Morant and opt for a rebuild, something that Jackson likely wouldn’t prefer to partake in,” Weinbach tweeted on Sunday.

It’s not surprising that the Grizzlies front office is looking at Jackson as their future, particularly because their main man of the past several years has been unstable in more ways than one. Morant went from athletic upstart to troubled superstar with an undesirable list of legal woes. The laundry list of major injuries suffered by Morant in recent seasons has only added credence to the argument that Memphis needs a new face of the franchise.

Though Jackson’s production on the offensive end has taken a hit this season, he has literally filled a huge gap left by Morant, who has missed games due to injuries and even a one-game suspension last December. Outside of Morant, JJJ is the Grizzlies’ leading scorer with 18.9 points per game. This season, Jackson has the third-best shooting clip from beyond the arc (36.3%), and he also remains prolific in other areas (5.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game).

Jackson certainly has the makings of a cornerstone, which means that multiple teams could be chomping at the bit to acquire his services. Weinbach, in fact, named two ball clubs that could be in the mix: “The Hawks and Pistons are two teams with ample assets that I would watch for in a potential pursuit of Jaren Jackson Jr.”

Will JJJ find his way out of Memphis in the next two weeks? That remains to be seen.