The Memphis Grizzlies have officially pulled the plug on their title window, and they're not messing around. In a move that sent shockwaves through the NBA on Monday night, Memphis shipped Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz in exchange for three future first-round picks and a package of role players.
Let me tell you, folks - this is what a full-scale rebuild looks like.
The Grizzlies sent out Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr. - basically the entire supporting cast from their contending years - and in return got Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, and three first-round picks.
Think about that for a second. Three years ago, this franchise was the No. 2 seed in the West. Now they're trading away a 26-year-old All-NBA defender who won Defensive Player of the Year. What went wrong?
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Grizzlies now control 13 first-round picks over the next seven years. That's not a rebuild - that's starting from scratch with a blank canvas.
The word around the league is that Memphis is viewing Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as their cornerstones moving forward. That's right - they're betting their future on rookies and draft capital while Ja Morant enters the prime of his career.
Which brings us to the elephant in the room: What does this mean for Ja?
Morant is 26 years old, coming off suspension issues, and now watching his team trade away their best defender. If you're Memphis, you're either betting that Ja can lead a young team through a multi-year rebuild, or you're preparing to move him next. There's no in-between here.
