Kevin Durant’s novel and his intention to leave the Brooklyn Nets continues. And according to the latest reports from Shams Charania, a new team has joined the negotiations to incorporate KD: los Memphis Grizzlies.
It is known that Brooklyn is demanding two All-Star caliber players to accept a trade for Durant, and ignoring that the Grizzlies they will not move Ja Morant for anything in the worldeverything indicates that they should include Desmond Bane y Jaren Jackson Jr. in a potential move with the Nets. Because while neither of them has been an All-Star so far, they have the level and youth to be in the short term.
Nevertheless, the Grizzlies plans go another way and his attempt to convince the Nets would be tied to putting on the table five 1st Round picksbut without disarming its young core: according to Charania, Memphis won’t trade Jackson or Bane. An idea that, if maintained, can be a deal breaker para Brooklyn.
The Grizzlies have five first-round picks to theoretically utilize in a Kevin Durant trade, but sources say that they will not make Jaren Jackson Jr. or Desmond Bane available. More details: https://t.co/v0E9k9pA4s https://t.co/rqj9nZaxwI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 22, 2022
The Memphis Untouchable
The Bane thing may be easier to understand, being a player who is only in his second year in the league doubled his rookie scoring averages (from 9 to 18 points), maintaining extremely high percentages of success and a defensive capacity that already puts him as one of the best 3&D in the league.
However, why consider Jackson untouchable? If after all, the former Michigan State has been in the league for four seasons, where has not finished consolidating as a figure (16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 2021-2022) and has serious physical questions from his repeated injuries. Including the most recent on the right foot, which will keep you marginalized from the camps until the end of 2022.
But the logic of Memphis, whether you agree or not, has its arguments. Jackson entered the league very young to begin with, so even with four seasons of experience, he still he is only 22 years old. He is even a year younger than Bane himself. And beyond age, there is a point that makes JJJ a player with very little comparison around the competition: his defensive ability.
The game has changed in recent years and today the most valuable defender is not the specialist, but the one who offers a high level in different areas. The defenders with the greatest impact are still the interiors, as usual, but not those who can only protect the rim or mark presence in the paint, but also those who are able to go out to the perimeter and keep up with the perimeter.
in the NBA individual assignments practically do not exist anymore or one-on-one defense. For different reasons, teams switch brands in most picks and therefore, a player no longer has a matchup specific, but must be able to mark multiple positions and rivals. Nothing more valuable than versatility. And in it, very few like Jackson.
Finding an inside capable of guard the perimeter, yet intimidate near the rimIt is the dream of every coach. And the 2021-2022 of the Grizzlies youngster was huge in that sense. On the one hand, he had an extraordinary performance when he had to defend far from the paint. In actions of clarification or pick and roll, Jackson left his rivals in just one 33% from the field: 42 shots made in 127 attempts.
While at the same time, he led the entire league in blocks: 2.3 per game. More than giants like Rudy Gobert, Mitchell Robinson, Joel Embiid or any other five classics in the competition.
The Grizzlies were the fourth best defense from the previous season and the presence of Jackson was totally decisive for it. Have a single player capable of putting a lock on the perimeter, but also being the best in the league when it comes to protecting the rim (at least when it comes to blocks), he offers all kinds of solutions and freedoms for his teammates on that side of the field.
Having two areas covered by one player is almost like defending with six men.
That same versatility of defensive perimeter and paint interiors is what Cleveland is beginning to enjoy with Evan Mobleywhich led to Chet Holmgren to be the number 2 of the last Draft and the one that also makes Memphis, perhaps against common sense, does not want to part with such a 22-year-old talentnot even by a superstar (of 33) like KD.