Deciding on Jaren Jackson Jr. replacements will be one of the biggest priorities for the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason as they search for their next building block in his place. Trading Jaren Jackson Jr. ahead of the trade deadline officially began the Grizzlies’ plan to rebuild the roster, moving on from their previous era.
Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke are the last remaining core members from their ‘Next Gen’ era and are widely expected to be traded this summer. While replacing Morant feels more pressing due to his impact on the organization and city, Jackson Jr.’s impact was close and needs to be accounted for. The search for Jackson Jr. replacements may ultimately define the direction of Memphis’ next era.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Replacements for the Grizzlies to Consider
The Internal Options
With just a few days before learning where the Grizzlies will land in the NBA Draft Lottery, let’s look into their internal options. Following the former Grizzlies big man’s departure, several players were granted opportunities at power forward for Memphis. However, it was difficult to judge without a true center playing, leading to a lot of players out of position.
The first player that comes to mind in their internal search for replacements is Santi Aldama. The five-year forward from Spain re-signed with Memphis on a three-year deal last offseason after being in Sixth Man of the Year discussions. Primarily as a Sixth Man again, Aldama proceeded to have career-highs in points (14.0) and rebounds (6.7) while improving on his defensive weaknesses.
Unfortunately, Aldama only played 43 games (11 starts) this season, with only one of those games coming after Jackson Jr. was traded. However, in the two games he started next to the Grizzlies’ starting center Zach Edey in November, Aldama averaged 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks. Short sample size, but he proved his fit next to Edey could be seamless.
As for other internal replacements candidate, GG Jackson stands out the most. Deciding whether Jackson should primarily play small forward or power forward has been a discussion for a while, but he had to play plenty of minutes at the four after Jackson Jr. was traded. His offensive upside, athleticism, and shot-creation ability make him intriguing with Edey manning the five.
Draft Prospects Who Could Offer Long-Term Upside
The draft may represent the most important avenue for a replacement in the long term. Their highest first-round pick’s selection area could determine if they will choose their power forward of the future in this draft or not. There are two clear options projected to be picked between picks two through four: Duke forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson.
Both of those players have been top prospects all year and would immediately become the replacement for Jackson Jr. on the Grizzlies’ roster. If the Grizzlies happen to get the number one pick, AJ Dybantsa could provide minutes at the four as a tweener similar to Jackson. His ability to score and be a playmaker matches the modern NBA forward and could be utilized as a power forward in the league.
With the Grizzlies also having the #16 pick and the #32 pick of the draft, it isn’t far-fetched that it could become an area for Jackson Jr. replacements. Michigan forwards Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. come to mind as power forward draft options within that range, among other candidates.
Free Agency and Trade Targets
Obtaining Jackson Jr. replacements through a trade or free agency could also help. Ultimately, this option becomes available only if the team decides to bypass the position in the draft and decides they would rather have Aldama and Jackson in other roles.
The NBA offseason presents new candidates to become trade targets all the time, so a star-level power forward could become available at any moment’s notice. The Grizzlies have the draft capital and young players to make a deal happen if that were to happen. Whatever direction Memphis chooses, the search for Jaren Jackson Jr. replacements will be a key storyline to follow this offseason.
Featured Image: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
