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Memphis Grizzlies make NBA history with blockbuster Jaren Jackson Jr trade
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- Memphis Grizzlies make NBA history with blockbuster Jaren Jackson Jr trade
Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images
The Memphis Grizzlies have made one of the most significant trades in recent NBA history, sending shockwaves across the league.
Jaren Jackson Jr is heading to the Utah Jazz in a deal that signals a dramatic shift in direction for Memphis.
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Beyond the player movement, the trade carries historic financial implications.
It also underlines just how aggressively the Grizzlies are leaning into a long-term rebuild.
Memphis Grizzlies trade Jaren Jackson Jr and create historic trade exception
The Grizzlies have agreed to trade Jaren Jackson Jr, John Konchar , Jock Landale , and Vince Williams Jr to the Utah Jazz.
In return, Memphis receive Walter Clayton Jr , Kyle Anderson , Taylor Hendricks , Georges Niang , and three future first-round picks.
For Utah, the move represents a major swing, pairing Jackson with an emerging core that includes Lauri Markkanen , Keyonte George , and Walker Kessler .
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Jackson's arrival gives the Jazz an elite two-way big man to build around as they push toward contention.
From Memphis' perspective, the deal goes far beyond the players involved. The Grizzlies have created a $28.8 million trade exception as part of the transaction, the largest ever in NBA history.
That figure surpasses the previous record of $28.5 million, which Boston generated in the 2020 Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade.
The exception gives Memphis significant flexibility, allowing them to absorb salary in future deals without sending matching contracts back.
Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Memphis Grizzlies accelerate rebuild with massive draft stockpile
The Jackson trade is the latest step in a rebuild that has been quietly gathering pace.
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Last summer, the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic , another clear indication that the previous core was being dismantled.
With this latest deal, Memphis now controls 12 first-round picks over the next seven years. That haul places them among the most asset-rich teams in the league.
Only the Brooklyn Nets and Oklahoma City Thunder currently hold more future first-round picks than the Grizzlies.
It gives Memphis enormous flexibility, whether through drafting, trading up, or using picks as currency in future star deals.
Combined with the record-breaking trade exception, the Grizzlies are now positioned as one of the most intriguing rebuilding teams in the NBA.
