Jaren Jackson Jr. Rumors

Jaren Jackson Jr. Changing Number As Part Of ‘Fresh Start’

August 13th, 2025 at 6:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Looking for a “fresh start” as he enters his eighth NBA season, Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. announced recently that he’s changing his uniform number, writes Rohan Nadkarni of NBC News. Jackson will give up his familiar number 13, which he has worn since his rookie season of 2018/19, in favor of number 8, which his father wore for part of his NBA career.

“It’s super personal to me. It’s super personal to my family,” Jackson said of the switch. “I’m connected with 8 in a real way. It reaches into the territory of new beginnings. It’s infinite. It’s just a good place to draw energy from.”

Jackson’s new number won’t be the only change as Memphis tries to rebound after being swept out of the playoffs by Oklahoma City. New head coach Tuomas Iisalo will lead the team into training camp after replacing Taylor Jenkins late last season, and the Grizzlies will have to adjust to the loss of Desmond Bane, Jackson’s teammate for the past five seasons, who was traded to Orlando in June.

“I wasn’t too much surprised,” Jackson said of the Bane deal. “I mean, when your brothers leave, you are still going to hurt, just because you’re a human being. But at the end of the day, it’s a business. And we’re grown.”

Some of the savings from unloading Bane were used to renegotiate and extend Jackson’s contract, giving him a five-year, $240MM deal that solidifies his status as one of the cornerstones of the franchise. With Bane gone, Jackson has taken on more of a leadership role to ensure the team’s younger players aren’t shaken by the personnel moves happening around them.

“You’re going to get closer to your prime, and things are going to change for you,” he said. “I feel like this is a good starting point for a whole new journey of stuff. I’m approaching this year with that spearheaded, disciplined mindset of trying to get us to the promised land.”

Jackson is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 74 games while shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range. He became an All-Star for the second time and was a second-team All-Defensive selection.

The Grizzlies may need even more production from him this season to contend in a tough Western Conference, and Jackson believes he’s ready to provide it while setting a strong example for his teammates.

“Whoever’s in the locker room is in your foxhole, and that’s where you’re going to war with,” he said. “What are your habits? What are your techniques? Are you willing to share? Are you willing to talk? Who are the leaders? It’s simple, but it’s not easy.”

Southwest Notes: Spencer, Marshall, Nembhard, Wembanyama

July 19th, 2025 at 10:20am CST by Rory Maher

In an exclusive interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer discussed the “shocking” trade that sent Desmond Bane to Orlando, how his competitive fire was stoked by growing up playing against older brother Pat Spencer, and what he has learned from Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., among other topics.

After spending his rookie season on a two-way deal with Memphis, Cam Spencer signed a four-year standard contract with the Grizzlies on Monday. The 2024 second-round pick is thrilled to have an opportunity to stay with the team long term.

“I’m super excited,” Spencer told Medina. “There’s no other organization that I’d rather compete with. I’m super grateful. It makes you think about all of the people that helped you get to this point. But I’m more motivated than ever. I told (general manager) Zach (Kleiman) that I’m going to prove him right every single day. I’m going to get after it for him.”

Spencer is also looking forward to a full season under new head coach Tuomas Iisalo, who had his interim tag lifted in early May.

“Coach Tuomas coming in, I think we have a lot of momentum going into this year,” Spencer said as part of a larger quote. “He’s been great. He’s a super-smart coach and very personable as a player. He really communicates what he wants from us out there on the court. I think we’re all going to be on the same page in a big way this year.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Mavericks wing Naji Marshall is coming off a 2024/25 season in which he averaged career highs in points (13.2), rebounds (4.8), assists (3.0) and steals (1.0) and minutes (27.8) per game, while shooting a career-best 50.8% from the field. However, Dallas failed to make the playoffs amid a wave of devastating second-half injuries. While the 27-year-old said he was “pretty good” last season, he believes he has “more in the tank he can accomplish” in ’25/26, according to Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “No question (that a deep playoff run is the next step). Just win,” Marshall said. “It’s beautiful. I feel good. I feel like we have all the right pieces to do what we all want to do. I’m looking forward to it.”
After going undrafted out of Gonzaga last month, Ryan Nembhard quickly agreed to a two-way contract with the Mavericks. The 6’0″ point guard, who led all Division I players in assists last season, tells Christian Clark of The Athletic that signing with the Mavs wasn’t a coincidence. “They showed the most love (during the pre-draft process),” Nembhard said. “I think they really wanted me. They showed the most care for me. And I feel like I have a chance to come do something over here.” The 22-year-old averaged 11.3 PPG, 6.7 APG and 2.7 RPG in three Summer League games in Las Vegas.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama did kung fu training with monks at a Shaolin temple in China this offseason and believes the sessions helped him improve his “mental focus” and taught him “more about how to achieve optimal body positioning through a better range of movement,” sources tell Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The French center thinks the training will help him on the court as he prepares for his third season, Wright adds.

Contract Details: Anthony, JJJ, Holmgren, J. Williams, Gafford

July 15th, 2025 at 10:55am CST by Luke Adams

Cole Anthony, whose previous cap hit had been $13.1MM, gave up exactly $2MM as part of his buyout agreement with the Grizzlies, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Memphis subsequently used the stretch provision to spread the $11.1MM still owed to Anthony across three seasons, resulting in annual cap hits of $3.7MM through 2027/28.

The move reduced Anthony’s 2025/26 cap charge by $9.4MM, generating the cap room necessary to renegotiate Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s ’25/26 salary from roughly $23.4MM up to $35MM, as Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron tweets. That allowed the Grizzlies to give Jackson a $49MM salary (ie. a 40% raise) in the first year of his new extension, which increases to $50.5MM in 2027/28 and $52MM in ’28/29, with a $53.5MM player option for ’29/30.

Jackson is now owed exactly $240MM over the next five seasons, having received approximately $216.6MM in new money in his agreement with Memphis.

Here are a few more details on contracts from around the NBA:

Chet Holmgren‘s new five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension with the Thunder doesn’t include Rose Rule language, but Jalen Williams‘ five-year max extension does, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks at Sports Business Classroom. According to Marks, Williams’ deal will start at 30% of the 2026/27 salary cap if he wins MVP, is named Defensive Player of the Year, or makes the All-NBA first team next season. If he makes the All-NBA second team, it would start at 27% of the cap, while a spot on the All-NBA third team would result in a starting salary at 26%. No All-NBA berth, MVP, or DPOY for Williams would result in a salary worth 25% of next year’s cap, matching Holmgren’s deal.
As expected, the terms of Daniel Gafford‘s new three-year veteran extension with the Mavericks are the maximum the team could have given the big man while maintaining his trade eligibility, tweets Marc Stein. Gafford got a 20% raise for 2026/27 to $17,263,584, with 5% annual raises for the next two seasons. The new three-year contract is worth a total of $54.38MM, on top of the $14.39MM he’ll make in 2025/26.
Rockets forward Jeff Green, Spurs guard Jordan McLaughlin, and Bucks wing Gary Trent Jr. have joined the list of players who waived their right to veto a trade in 2025/26 when they re-signed with their respective teams, Hoops Rumors has learned. A player who signs a new one-year deal (or two-year deal with a second-year option) with his previous team typically gets trade veto rights for that season, but those can be forfeited as part of the contract agreement.

Grizzlies Renegotiate, Extend Jaren Jackson Jr.’s Contract

July 13th, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Rory Maher

July 13: Jackson’s renegotiation and extension are official, the team announced (via Twitter).

June 30: The Grizzlies are expected to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s contract, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Memphis is giving the former Defensive Player of the Year a five-year, $240MM deal.

The forward/center’s new extension will feature a player option for the 2029/30 season, sources tell Charania (Twitter link).

It’s worth noting that the Grizzlies do not currently have the requisite cap room to renegotiate and extend Jackson at the salary that Charania reported — additional cost-cutting moves will be necessary in order to complete the transaction.

John Konchar and Cole Anthony have been rumored as salary-dump candidates, and Charania suggests (via Twitter) that Anthony will likely be the odd man out. The 25-year-old guard is on an expiring $12.9MM contract, but Charania’s reporting suggests he’ll likely be traded or bought out.

[UPDATE: Cole Anthony Agrees To Buyout With Grizzlies, Plans To Join Bucks]

Giving Jackson a lucrative new deal was long expected to be a top priority for Memphis. The 25-year-old was entering the final year of his current contract, which would have paid him about $23.4MM in ’25/26.

Based on the terms of his new deal, his salary for next season will need to be increased by nearly $10MM as part of the renegotiation — the $240MM total by Charania likely includes the $23.4MM he’s already owed for next season, so it’ll be closer to $217MM in new money.

As Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets, the Grizzlies need to trim about $7MM in payroll for next season to finalize Jackson’s deal. They’ll have access to the room version of the mid-level exception by operating below the cap, with free agent guard Ty Jerome a rumored target.

Jackson was named an All-Star for the second time last season and earned a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team. In 74 games (29.8 MPG), he averaged 22.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.2 SPG and 1.5 BPG, with a shooting line of .488/.375/.781.

The Grizzlies have also agreed to a three-year, $52.5MM deal with restricted free agent forward Santi Aldama, according to Charania.

Memphis has been busy this offseason, trading Desmond Bane to Orlando in a blockbuster deal that saw the Grizzlies acquire four first-round picks, one first-round swap, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anthony. The Grizzlies then used two of those picks to move up in the draft and land Washington State wing Cedric Coward.

Fred VanVleet Elected New NBPA President

July 12th, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:00 pm: According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link), the other members of the Executive Committee are as follows:

Grant Williams, first vice president.
Mason Plumlee, secretary-treasurer.
Jaylen Brown, vice president.
Jaren Jackson Jr., vice president.
Donovan Mitchell, vice president.
Garrett Temple, vice president.
Karl-Anthony Towns, vice president.
Gabe Vincent, vice president.

6:01 pm: The National Basketball Players Association has elected Rockets guard Fred VanVleet as its new president, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). VanVleet will replace CJ McCollum and will serve a four-year term.

VanVleet, 31, has earned tremendous respect from his peers during his nine-year NBA career. He was one of the veteran players Ime Udoka brought in to help change the culture when he took over as head coach in Houston two years ago.

VanVleet was a beloved figure in Toronto before switching teams and played a vital role in bringing the city its only NBA title in 2019. He recently signed a two-year, $50MM deal to remain in Houston, and Charania notes that he has set several records for being the highest-paid undrafted player in league history (Twitter link).

With the expiration of his four-year term, McCollum will take on an advisory position with union, Charania adds. His time in office included a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2023 that introduced the two-apron system and ensures labor peace through the 2029/30 season.

Jaren Jackson Jr. Undergoes Procedure On Turf Toe

July 2nd, 2025 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

July 2: As expected, Jackson has undergone a procedure to repair the turf toe injury in his right foot, the Grizzlies announced on Wednesday (Twitter link). According to the team, he’ll be reevaluated in approximately 12 weeks. That will be just a few days before training camps get underway.

July 1: Just over 24 hours after word broke that the Grizzlies and Jaren Jackson Jr. had agreed to a long-term deal that will pay him $240MM over the next five seasons, the team offered a more sobering update on its star big man.

According to the Grizzlies (Twitter link), Jackson sustained a turf toe injury in his right foot while participating in a “live basketball run offsite.” After evaluation, it was determined that the injured will require a procedure to address.

The Grizzlies haven’t yet provided a recovery timeline for Jackson, indicating that they’ll share another update once he has had the procedure. However, the recovery process from a turf toe procedure is measured in months, not weeks. Ajay Mitchell of the Thunder, for instance, missed more than three months after having a turf toe sprain addressed in January.

The hope in Memphis will be that Jackson is ready to go for training camp, or at least the start of the season, but the team certainly won’t rush the process.With a new mega-deal in hand and fresh off his second All-Star season, Jackson will be a crucial part of the Grizzlies’ postseason aspirations in 2025/26.

The 25-year-old averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals in 29.8 minutes per game this past season, recording a shooting line of .488/.375/.781. In addition to his All-Star berth, he earned a spot on the All-Defensive second team.

Jackson is the second member of the Grizzlies’ frontcourt to undergo a procedure since the end of the season. Center Zach Edey is expected to miss the start of the 2025/26 campaign after undergoing ankle surgery in June.

Fischer’s Latest: Kuminga, Grimes, Grizzlies, Nets

June 21st, 2025 at 5:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls expressed interest in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga during past trade talks and could be a candidate for a sign-and-trade deal to land the restricted free agent, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Sources tell Stein that Chicago inquired about Kuminga during discussions that involved Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.

Fischer states that re-signing with the Warriors appears to be the most likely outcome for Kuminga, but cautions that it’s hard to predict his potential market until the Suns decide where they’re trading Kevin Durant. Fischer hears that Kuminga could be among several players the Heat plan to target if they don’t land Durant, echoing a report earlier this week from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who mentioned Chicago and Miami as potential sign-and-trade destinations for Kuminga.

Fischer adds that Kuminga will probably need a sign-and-trade to change teams because the Nets, the only current club with significant cap space, don’t appear to be interested, nor do the Pistons, who could theoretically create enough room to make a competitive offer, or the Hawks, who have a $25MM trade exception from the deal that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans last summer.

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will meet with the media on Monday, and Fischer expects Kuminga’s future to be a prominent topic.

Fischer shares more inside information from around the NBA:

“Numbers-crunchers” who talked to Fischer expect Sixers free agent guard Quentin Grimes to get offers in excess of the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Grimes turned into a potent scoring threat after being acquired from Dallas in February, averaging a career-high 21.9 PPG in 28 games. The financial experts that Fischer consulted expect Philadelphia to be able to afford to keep Grimes, although the team’s financial situation will be affected by what Kelly Oubre, Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond do with their player options.
After acquiring the No. 16 pick from Orlando in last weekend’s Desmond Bane trade, the Grizzlies may opt to move up or down by draft night, sources tell Fischer. He hears that the team’s priority with any moves will be to create enough financial flexibility to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s contract and to re-sign free agent forward Santi Aldama.
With four first-round picks and a ton of cap space, the Nets have a chance to be the league’s most active team on draft night. Fischer suggests that one option will be to facilitate deals by taking on unwanted contracts and then try to flip those players for more assets ahead of next season’s trade deadline.

Grizzlies Reportedly Not Pursuing Kevin Durant

June 18th, 2025 at 3:30pm CST by Rory Maher

Forbes contributor Evan Sidery reported this afternoon (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies had reemerged as a suitor for Suns star Kevin Durant after the team made a run at the 36-year-old forward prior to February’s deadline.

However, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal — a Grizzlies beat reporter — has heard differently (Twitter link). Citing league sources, Cole writes that while the Grizzlies contemplated making an offer for Durant during the season, they are not currently interested in the 15-time All-Star and do not intend to pursue him this offseason.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) reported something similar to Cole a couple days ago, saying he didn’t expect the Grizzlies to get involved in the Durant chase, even though they have a fresh collection of draft assets from Sunday’s Desmond Bane trade. Memphis was reluctant to pursue Jimmy Butler before the deadline because of fears that he wouldn’t sign an extension, Fischer noted, and Durant is probably viewed the same way.

While the team may not pursue Durant, rival teams are curious about which players general manager Zach Kleiman will target with the first-round picks Memphis acquired in the Bane deal, according to Fischer, who says creating the cap room necessary to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr. is still a “priority” for the Grizzlies.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms that signing Jackson to a new deal remains important to the Grizzlies. Wing John Konchar, who will make $12.33MM over the next two seasons, is viewed as a candidate to be traded in a salary-dump move to create more cap flexibility, league sources tell Scotto.

One of the selections Memphis acquired for Bane was No. 16 overall in next week’s draft. Cole lists five “defensive-minded wings” the Grizzlies might target if they keep that pick, including Noa Essengue (Ratiopharm Ulm), Cedric Coward (Washington State), and Nique Clifford (Colorado State).

Latest On Desmond Bane Trade

June 16th, 2025 at 8:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Several teams contacted the Grizzlies about Desmond Bane before they decided to trade him on Sunday, but nobody was as aggressive as the Magic, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Orlando is determined to become a title contender and faced a glaring need to improve its three-point shooting after finishing last in the league in that category at 31.8%.

Bane is a 41% shooter from beyond the arc for his career and connected at 39.2% in 69 games last season. The 26-year-old shooting guard projects to be a perfect complement alongside Jalen Suggs in the Magic’s backcourt and should be more productive than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was Orlando’s major addition last summer.

“He’ll be a good fit,” an assistant coach told Bontemps. “There’s not a lot of guys that you would want to grab as your third option that can do it to the level that he can do it.”

Even so, Bontemps notes that there was surprise throughout the league about the price the Magic were willing to pay to acquire Bane. In addition to Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, they gave up four first-round picks and a 2029 pick swap, including the 16th selection in this year’s draft.

Orlando also took on a significant financial commitment with Bane, who has four years and $163MM left on his contract. The Magic are likely facing huge tax bills in the future, especially once Paolo Banchero‘s upcoming extension kicks in. One scout suggested to Bontemps that Memphis may have been relieved to unload Bane’s contract.

“[The Grizzlies] did that extension before the new second apron rules kicked in and they were looking at that deal and liking it less,” he said. “Really good guy, good player, but [I] never thought of him as a max guy.”

Bontemps notes that Memphis general manager Zack Kleiman promised changes after being swept in the first round by Oklahoma City, and Sunday’s deal was the first step in that direction. A complete rebuild doesn’t seem likely, as sources told Bontemps that Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. aren’t expected to be dealt, but more moves appear to be coming as the franchise tries to clear up cap room to renegotiate and extend Jackson’s contract before he reaches free agency in 2026.

With the Grizzlies shifting to an up-tempo approach under new coach Tuomas Iisalo, Bontemps hears they’re confident that Jaylen Wells can become a long-term starter. The second-round pick is coming off an outstanding first season, averaging 10.4 PPG and finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting.

Memphis is also happy with the cache of draft assets it received in the deal, particularly the 2026 selection that will almost certainly be the less favorable pick between Phoenix and Washington. Considering the current state of those two teams, there’s a chance the Grizzlies could wind up with an early pick in a very strong draft.

Bontemps adds that the uncertainty at the top of the East could inspire several teams to emulate Orlando by making a big deal, and there’s a league-wide feeling that numerous trades could take place by draft night.

“For them, they got to give themselves a chance,” one executive said. “They have gone to the playoffs two years in a row and had a first-round exit, and they look around and they’ve got a young group that’s trying to figure out how to take the next step.”

Grizzlies Notes: Trade, Finances, Caldwell-Pope, Coaching Staff

June 15th, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

In trading Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies moved on from a player who is possibly the best shooter in franchise history in a deal that has sweeping implications for the organization, writes Damichael Cole for Memphis Commercial Appeal. In addition to his offensive workload, Bane had also assumed a prominent leadership role in Memphis in recent years.

Despite moving Bane for a pick-heavy trade package, the Grizzlies aren’t expected to go into rebuild mode, Cole writes. Those picks will likely be used in trades, whether to bring in more talent or to clear cap room to help renegotiate Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s contract.

In the meantime, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will help shore up the perimeter defense around Ja Morant. While the shot creation will take a hit with the loss of Bane, Caldwell-Pope should still be a helpful floor spacer, despite coming off a down year with the Magic.

We have more notes from the Grizzlies:

Grizzlies fans shouldn’t be shocked if Cole Anthony is moved in a subsequent trade, as his fit with high-end backup point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. is questionable, writes Spotrac’s Keith Smith. While the trade will provide long-term financial flexibility for Memphis, it eats into the team’s ability to create cap space this summer, Smith notes, especially given the salary slot for the newly acquired 16th pick in the 2025 draft.
Caldwell-Pope’s durability could be a valuable asset for a Grizzlies team that has struggled to keep its best players on the floor, writes Jonah Dylan for Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis’ new wing has never played fewer than 67 games in a season over his 12-year career. He also brings championship experience to a team that has struggled to make good on its potential in previous playoff runs.
The Grizzlies are searching for a new top assistant for head coach Tuomas Iisalo‘s coaching staff, writes Marc Stein for The Stein Line (Substack link). Names being considered include Adrian Griffin, Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley, and Magic assistant Dale Osbourne.