The Memphis Grizzlies’ early-season momentum has vanished fast, and Friday’s blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder made the situation even more striking. Memphis opened 6-0, then dropped three straight, and the Thunder game got so lopsided that every active Grizzlies player eventually checked in once garbage time arrived in the second half.
One name never made it onto the floor: GG Jackson.
That stood out for a player who is in his fourth NBA season and is about to turn 22. Jackson, listed at 6-foot-9 and 235 pounds, is no longer part of the rotation, with Olivier Maxence-Prosper and Kris Murray apparently moving ahead of him. But sitting all the way through a blowout loss is a different kind of message entirely, and it raises the obvious question of why he is still on the roster if he is not in the organization’s immediate plans ahead of contract discussions.
There is some logic behind the decision to keep him out of the rotation. Among Grizzlies players with at least 100 minutes through nine games this season, per Cleaning the Glass, Jackson has the fourth-worst efficiency rating at -7.5. Only Jerami Grant (-8.3), Cameron Boozer (-15), and Quinten Post (-15.7) are worse.
Still, those players have different circumstances. Boozer is the youngest player in the NBA and will keep getting run despite his scoring struggles.
Grant is a veteran whose contract helped make the Ja Morant trade work. Post is a center, and he is seeing minutes because of Isaiah Stewart’s injury.
Jackson, by contrast, is a wing.
That makes the comparison with Grant especially relevant. Grant is the better defender, and the numbers show it: opposing offenses score 5.4 fewer points per 100 possessions against Memphis when he is on the floor. With Jackson on the court, the Grizzlies allow 1.9 more points per 100 possessions.
Jackson’s issues go beyond defense. His offensive production has been poor across the board, with his 39% three-point shooting standing out as the one number that at least looks usable in a small sample.
He has never been known as a playmaking wing, but a player with shaky defense and one of the league’s worst turnover rates is a tough fit. Jackson’s turnover percentage is 18.5%, which ranks in the 5th percentile among NBA wings.
His steal rate is .3%, which ranks in the 3rd percentile.
He does rebound well for his position, but the overall package has led to a benching. Even so, there is a difference between being removed from the rotation for a stretch and being the only player who does not see the floor at all. That is a clear line in the sand.
It also comes at a time when Memphis is dealing with a second coaching staff that has had issues with Jackson’s style of play. The talent is obvious, but the fit is becoming harder to ignore. If the Grizzlies do not see him as part of what they want to build, then the most likely outcome is that he is not re-signed when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
That is why a trade makes sense now, while he still carries value. Jackson has been mentioned in trade rumors before, and moving him before that value slips further would be the prudent play.
Two possible paths were floated. One would involve the 1-9 Sacramento Kings, who have an open roster spot and could use an asset or two for an expiring contract like De’Andre Hunter’s.
A deal built around Taylor Hendricks, Jackson, and a future second-round pick could be enough to get it done. The idea would be that a change of scenery, plus a chance to play alongside former teammate Ty Jerome, might help Hunter.
The other option is the 1-9 Chicago Bulls. With only their own first-round picks to work with, they could be open to moving Josh Giddey.
He has been a strong on-court presence for them, with Chicago 13.1 points better when he plays, and that matters in the current draft-lottery setup. A package of a first-round pick, Jackson, and Scotty Pippen Jr. was suggested as a possible framework.
Whether Memphis would want to use that much of its traded player exception from the Jaren Jackson Jr. deal on someone like Hunter or Giddey is another question. But the larger point remains the same: the current setup does not look like a good match for Jackson or for the Grizzlies.
Memphis does not have to move him, and given his size, youth, and experience, there is a case for patience. But after Friday night, with Jackson watching from the bench while the Grizzlies were beaten soundly, the fit looks increasingly strained. The Grizzlies should be asking the same question anyone watching would ask: if this is not going to work, why wait until the summer and risk losing him for nothing?
In Other News...
Grizzlies Bring A Dangerous Early-Game Problem Into Toronto
The Raptors get back to Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night after a 2-2 road trip, and the matchup brings a Memphis team that has already shown how quickly it can start games on the front foot. The Grizzlies opened the season 6-0 before dropping their last three, a stretch that has changed the tone around a group that looked like one of the leagues early surprises. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, with the game on Sportsnet and the SN Plus app.
Torontos own injury picture adds another layer to the night, with Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley both listed as questionable. Barnes and Quickley were unavailable for the win over Milwaukee, and their status will matter for a team trying to steady itself at home against a Memphis club still carrying the urgency of a skid after a fast start. [Read more 🡒]