Jackson Jr.’s role to increase with Grizzlies
In the locker room at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Jaren Jackson Jr. was still processing the day.
As a 19-year-old rookie who had just experienced his first NBA trade deadline, Jackson tried to put the previous several hours into words after the Grizzlies’ 117-95 loss at Oklahoma City on Feb. 7.
“It’s been a long day,” he said. “Had a lot of those this year.”
It was an especially hard day for Jackson, because two players he has counted as mentors, Marc Gasol and Jamychal Green, had been traded away.
But in the surreal aftermath of a day that sent five of his teammates packing, a new reality for Jackson arose.
“We’ve given him the rope to do more,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
“We expect him to take a step forward. We’ve asked him to do that.”
When the Grizzlies resume play after the All-star break against the Clippers on Friday at Fedexforum, Bickerstaff will have a lot to sort through.
The Grizzlies acquired five players in trades, have signed Bruno Caboclo to a contract and will welcome Chandler Parsons back to the team.
It means there will be plenty of lineup experimentation as the Grizzlies try and win enough games to finish ahead of eight other NBA teams and convey a protected first-round pick they owe to the Celtics.
But amid all the roster uncertainty is one truth that supersedes all: Jackson will be a focal point.
“Being realistic, you have to live through some of the bumps he may take because he is trying to do more and he is being asked to do more,” Bickerstaff said. “So we’re not putting unattainable goals in front of him or expectations. But we’re giving him that rope and that freedom to do more.”
With Gasol traded to the Toronto Raptors and Green traded to the Clippers, the two players who competed with Jackson for minutes and touches in the team’s front-court throughout the season’s first several months are gone. In essence, so is Jackson’s rookie card. Asked about this new reality after the loss at Oklahoma City on Feb. 7, Jackson shrugged and seemed indifferent to it.
“I’ve just got to go out there and play hard, play my best and do whatever it takes to get a win,” he said after scoring 27 points on 12-of-18 shooting in the loss.
Wins have been fleeting for Memphis since the team’s 12-5 start. The team’s struggles expedited the arrival of this moment.
Jackson made it clear with his play, beginning in the summer league just weeks after the 2018 draft, that he has the makings of an elite two-way player.
He showed his promise again on the NBA’S big stage Friday during the Rising Stars game with 10 points and six rebounds during the U.S. team’s 161-144 win over the World team.
Now, quicker than initially appeared possible, the Grizzlies have committed to making him their focal point.
“The big thing is Jaren is here in a Grizzlies uniform,” general manager Chris Wallace said. “It’s very difficult to find Jaren Jackson’s. The rest of the NBA is running around trying to get players like that to set themselves up for the future. We have one right here now that is just blossoming in front of our eyes.”
If Jackson has naysayers, they have remained quiet this season as he has averaged 13.8 points per game and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 36 percent from 3-point range.
Clearly, there are elements of his game, such as rebounding and defending without fouling, that he must improve.
But as the NBA’S second-youngest player, the belief is that those refinements will come with time and maturity.
And the early read is that Jackson’s new teammates won’t protest the Grizzlies’ desire to play through him for the rest of the season.
“He’s special, man,” said the team’s new shooting guard Avery Bradley. “He’s really good .... he can help our team on both ends of the floor. I don’t think I’ve played with a big like this defensively since like KG (Kevin Garnett). He’s so special.”
Reach Grizzlies beat writer David Cobb at david.cobb@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @Davidwcobb.