At this point, everyone around the league knows that the Celtics were looking to rebuild their frontcourt via the trade market, eventually settling on Nikola Vucevic. But one star player that kept coming up was Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Grizzlies.
Before the Cs moved on to Vooch, that option was pulled off the table, as JJJ was stunningly dealt to the Jazz on Tuesday, along with Vince Williams Jr., Jock Landale, and John Konchar in exchange for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, and three future first-round picks.
Jackson Jr., a two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year, is one of the premier frontcourt players in the league, but he’s not without flaws. For all of his great defensive abilities, he’s not a very good rebounder, and doesn’t match up well against the best big men in the league.
He’s far better suited to play alongside a true center and roam around, protecting the rim. The Celtics already have plenty of athletic power forward types, and while the talent would go way up with Jaren, he’s far from a perfect fit.
On the offensive end, it’s a similar situation. He’s a very talented player and would provide some serious floor spacing, but he’s only a career 35% three-point shooter, and he’s not the kind of guy you can just dump the ball to in the paint and let him get a basket.
He has also shown a propensity to commit dumb, costly fouls and has struggled to stay on the court and impact winning in playoff games. He’s a very good player, but he’s not elite. And the problem, especially for the Celtics, is that his contract demands elite play.
JJJ’s contract would sink Celtics in the future
This season, JJJ makes a very reasonable $35 million. The Cs could have gotten there fairly easily with the contracts of Anfernee Simons and Sam Hauser, but the problem is next season, when Jackson’s four-year, $205 million extension kicks in, which includes a $52 million player option for 2028-29.
That’s an absurd amount of money and years for a player who has never even made an All-NBA team. Two things that have become clear under the new CBA are that you absolutely cannot pay superstar money for star talent and production, and you can’t have all your money tied up in a “Big 3”.
If the Cs had made this move, they would have over $154 million tied up in three players, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jackson Jr., next season (by the 2028-29 season, that number would grow to a whopping $184.06 million). Add in Derrick White’s $30+ million, and you’re already getting close to the first apron with just four players. In an era defined more and more by depth, that’s not a recipe for success.
If you’re going to go all in on three stars, you better make damn well sure they’re the right stars. In this case, as good a player as he is, I’m just not sure Jaren Jackson Jr. is that guy, and getting “beaten” to the punch by the Ainges will prove to have been a blessing in disguise.