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Grizzlies fans, national media react to Jaren Jackson Jr. trade
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- Grizzlies fans, national media react to Jaren Jackson Jr. trade
Memphis Grizzlies fans will likely long remember where they were when two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. was traded to the Utah Jazz on Feb. 3 as part of an eight-player deal ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.
For some, the move is bigger than a basketball transaction, but an explicit end of an era in Memphis, as only star point guard Ja Morant remains (for now) a part of the beloved former core which also included Jackson and guard Desmond Bane .
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Though the deals for Bane and Jackson netted a valuable haul of first-round draft picks, the deal inspired mixed emotions as another fan favorite leaves the Bluff City.
Here's a sample of social media posts:
Grizzlies fans, personalities express love for Jaren Jackson Jr .
After the Grizzlies' Grit-n-Grind era, fans soon found hope and poured love into the "NextGen Grizz" trio of Jackson, Bane and Morant. With two of three now on other teams, fans reflected on the change following the Feb. 3 deal, as Jackson was appreciated both on and off the court.
Kendrick Perkins calls out Jaren Jackson Jr.
Not all sentiments expressed after the trade were completely positive.
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On "The Road Trippin' Show," former NBA player and now media personality Kendrick Perkins applauded the Grizzlies for moving on from Jackson, a player he deemed "overrated" and someone the team couldn't depend on in the future.
National voices point toward positive future in Memphis
On the basketball and business sides of things, many reactions to the trade centered positively on the Grizzlies continued acquisition of assets, including three first-round draft picks from Utah following four from the summer's trade sending Bane to Orlando . As ESPN's Bobby Marks noted, Memphis' collection of draft picks rival that of any team in the league.
Wendell Shepherd Jr. is The Commercial Appeal's high school sports beat writer. Reach Wendell at wendell.shepherd@commercialappeal.com or on X @wendellsjr_.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies fans, media react to Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, what's next
