Jaren Jackson Jr. Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Notes: Kawhi, Vassell, Sharpe, Huerter, Grizzlies, Livers

October 23rd, 2024 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard won’t be making his season debut anytime soon, ESPN’s Shams Charania said during Wednesday’s episode of NBA Today (Twitter video link). According to Charania, Leonard’s absence will be measured in weeks rather than days.

“I’m told Kawhi Leonard will be missing weeks,” Charania said. “This is not an injury that’s going to be measured by a week (or) two weeks, potentially. Not days, obviously. This will be an extended period of time that the Clippers are starting this season without him.”

Leonard battled inflammation in his right knee at the end of the 2023/24 season that flared up again during the summer. While it’s obviously problematic that he’s not ready for the start of the season, Charania suggests there’s optimism that once the two-time Finals MVP gets back on the court, he won’t be in and out of the lineup.

“I’m told they feel they have a plan and a protocol in place that will allow him, when he is ready to return, to actually sustain his play on the court,” Charania said.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Spurs guard Devin Vassell still hasn’t been cleared to take contact, but the team remains hopeful that he’ll be ready to return from foot surgery sometime in early November, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Vassell is scheduled to be reevaluated on Nov. 1.
Shaedon Sharpe is making good progress in his return from a labral tear in his left shoulder, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who says the Trail Blazers guard has been cleared for non-contact basketball activities and is shooting and going through ball-handling drills in practice. A return in early- to mid-November return still seems realistic, Highkin adds.
Kings wing Kevin Huerter, who missed the preseason and hasn’t played since March 18 due to shoulder surgery, will be available to suit up on Thursday vs. Minnesota, tweets Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento. Head coach Mike Brown previously told reporters that Huerter would “probably start” if he’s ready to go for Thursday’s regular season opener.
The NBA’s most injury-plagued team last season, the Grizzlies will open the 2024/25 campaign with five players sidelined. The team has officially confirmed (via Twitter) that GG Jackson II (foot), Jaren Jackson Jr. (hamstring), Luke Kennard (foot), Cam Spencer (ankle), and Vince Williams (leg) are all unavailable for Wednesday’s regular season opener in Utah.
Free agent forward Isaiah Livers announced on Instagram that he underwent a hip resurfacing surgical procedure last Friday after playing through a hip injury for the past two seasons (hat tip to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press). It’s unclear how long the recovery process will take, but it seems safe to assume Livers won’t be an option for an NBA team until at least sometime in 2025.

Injury Notes: Jackson, Grizzlies, Sixers, Raptors, Bufkin

October 21st, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. will be sidelined for Wednesday’s regular season opener vs. Utah but head coach Taylor Jenkins said there’s a chance he could suit up later this week, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. Jackson was diagnosed with a low-grade hamstring strain at the beginning of October.

“Hamstring’s in a good spot, he’s been progressing well,” Jenkins said. “We’re going to be cautious, have him get a little more five-on-five in the next couple of days and probably trend more towards later in the week when he’ll return.”

Jackson has two years and about $48.7MM remaining on his contract. He was eligible to sign an extension worth $103MM over three years prior to Monday night’s deadline, but he’ll revisit a potential new deal in the offseason, sources tell ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That outcome was always considered likely, as the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year could earn far more money in 2025 than he can right now — he’d be eligible for a super-max extension if he wins DPOY, MVP or make an All-NBA team in 2024/25.

Jenkins also provided injury updates on Luke Kennard (foot soreness), Vince Williams (shin stress reaction), GG Jackson (foot surgery) and Cam Spencer (ankle sprain), Cole adds. Kennard will be sidelined for the first week of the season, Williams and Spencer are “still a couple of weeks away,” and Jackson will be reevaluated in late November.

Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:

Joel Embiid (knee management) and Jared McCain (pulmonary contusion) were able to go through all of the Sixers‘ practice on Monday aside from 5-on-5 scrimmaging, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. Free agent addition Paul George, who sustained a hyperextended left knee in preseason action, did not practice but will be reevaluated on Tuesday, per head coach Nick Nurse.
Raptors wings RJ Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter practiced on Monday, but the team didn’t do any contact work, per Eric Koreen of The Athletic (Twitter link). Head coach Darko Rajakovic called Barrett day-to-day, while Walter is considered seven-to-10 days behind his veteran teammate. Both players are dealing with sprained AC joints in their right shoulders.
Second-year guard Kobe Bufkin suffered a right shoulder injury in Saturday’s practice and is undergoing testing to determine the severity of the injury, the Hawks announced (via Twitter). It’s unclear at this time how long Bufkin will be out, but he’ll be sidelined for Wednesday’s regular season opener, per the team. Bufkin was limited to just 17 games as a rookie last season due to toe and finger injuries.

Southwest Notes: Popovich, Lawson, Murphy, Morant, Jackson Jr.

October 14th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has put his players, particularly the less experienced ones, on notice. The longtime coach will be much less forgiving of mistakes this season, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

“I think if anything it’s a little less tolerance,” he said. “We have been since the beginning (of training camp) … a little bit more disciplined in the sense of accountability, knowing that mistakes happen too often – (telling players) ‘You need to understand that by now.'”

Tre Jones believes it’s natural for Popovich to take that approach as expectations rise.

“A lot of us didn’t have a lot of those experiences we went through the last couple of years,” Jones said, “but now that we’ve had them and now that we’ve brought in guys that are helping us learn those things as well, you can’t make those same mistakes over and over again. There’s no room for that, if we want to win.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

A.J. Lawson said he’s benefited significantly in Mavericks training camp, working alongside stars Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Every day you learn something new with these guys,” Lawson said. “They’re great at what they do—Kyrie is one of the best ball-handlers, Luka is one of the best players, and Klay is one of the best shooters. Having these guys on the same team is a lot to learn from. I can take shooting techniques from Klay, ball-handling and decision-making from Kai, and learn how to run the floor with Luka. There’s so much opportunity as a wing player like me, and I’m excited for this season.” Lawson signed a two-way contract with Dallas over the weekend shortly after he was waived by the club from his standard deal.
It has been another rough preseason for the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy. He was sidelined at the beginning of last season with a left knee injury. Now, he’s dealing with a right hamstring strain that will keep him out of action at the start of this season. “Very tough,” Murphy told Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “Not starting the season again hurts me a lot. Doing everything I can summer-wise to be prepared for a season and having that happen really sucks. But just looking at it with perspective, it could be a lot worse. Good thing it’s an NBA season. I’ll be there for the majority of it.” Murphy will be a restricted free agent next summer unless he signs a rookie scale extension by Oct. 21.
Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are being held out of the rest of the preseason due to minor ailments. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins wants his stars to make the best of training camp in other ways. “I actually talked to both of those guys about being fully invested in all the practice reps and using their voices,” Jenkins said, per Michael Wallace of GrindCityMedia.com. “I want them to get mental reps, whether it’s through film sessions or their teammates’ film feedback that they’re getting. They’ve been ever present, so we’re going to make the most of the situation over the next week-plus. And thankfully, they’re going to be ready for opening night.”

And-Ones: Top FAs, Under-The-Radar Players, Extensions, Carter-Williams

October 13th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kyrie Irving ranks as the potential top free agent next summer, according to Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype, though there’s no indication he wants to leave Dallas. Irving holds a player option for the 2025/26 season.

Rockets big man Alperen Sengun ranks as the No. 2 free agent, though he’ll be restricted if he doesn’t sign a rookie scale extension this month. At No. 3, Lakers forward LeBron James also has a ’25/26 player option, like Irving.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram comes in at No. 4 overall on HoopsHype’s top-25 list and is the top-ranked player who will be fully unrestricted, without the fallback of a player option — unless, of course, he signs a contract with New Orleans prior to free agency.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Which under-the-radar players might make a significant impact this season? The Athletic’s John Hollinger explores a dozen such candidates, including Gradey Dick, Precious Achiuwa and Xavier Tillman.
A number of big-name players could be in line for huge extensions prior to the Oct. 21 deadline for rookie-scale players and veterans with more than one year remaining on their contracts. Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus identifies Kevin Durant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jalen Suggs as a few of the players who could potentially agree to new deals this month.
Retired NBA guard Michael Carter-Williams has become a mental health advocate. The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn details Carter-Williams’ personal struggles and his determination to help others get through their mental health issues.

Marcus Smart Talks Edey, Morant, Grizzlies’ Defense, More

October 9th, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Grizzlies swingman Marcus Smart, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, is a huge fan of what he’s seeing out of Memphis’ first round draft pick this year, as he said during an interview with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.

Waylaid by injuries to starters Smart, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Steven Adams (before Adams was shipped out to Houston midseason), Memphis fell into the lottery last year with a 27-55 record.

The benefit of that drop-off is the addition of a permanent Adams replacement in No. 9 overall pick Zach Edey, a super-sized All-American center out of Purdue.

“He’s gonna be huge for us,” Smart said of Edey. “He allows us to do a lot of different things on the defensive end. He lets me and Jaren really give everything we’ve got. Being former Defensive Players of the Year, it’s great to have that rim protection behind us. And being 7’4″ definitely helps with that. He moves very well, his IQ is very high, and he’s only continuing to get better.”

The conversation is well worth reading in full, but here are some highlights:

When asked about the efficacy of pick-and-roll actions between Morant and Edey, Smart was exuberant. “Oh it’s going to be deadly, man,” Smart said. “It’s just going to open up things even more for us, especially for Ja. We all know what Ja can do with a little bit of space, so just imagine what he can do with a lot of space cleared out by a big like Zach.”
The Grizzlies field what should on paper be one of the league’s best defenses. After all, Jackson earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023, a season after Smart won the award. The arrival of Edey is expected to fortify Memphis’ interior protection. “We have a high ceiling,” Morant said. “If we can stay locked in and figure it out early on, we can be really good, especially defensively. We’ve got the talent, the guys can do it, and the definition of what it takes.”
Last year, Jackson looked to score more with Morant out for all but nine games. He, too, eventually went down, but Smart believes the experience was ultimately beneficial for the big man’s long-term offensive flexibility. “We asked Jaren to take on more offensively, and that takes a toll on the body,” Smart noted. “He’s been able to learn more about himself, more about the team, and what he can do to help us. That’s what we need.”

Grizzlies’ Jared Jackson Jr. Has Mild Hamstring Strain

October 2nd, 2024 at 2:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

OCTOBER 2: Imaging revealed a low-grade hamstring strain for Jackson, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins, who called it very good news and said there’s no concern at this point that the big man will miss the start of the regular season (Twitter link via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal).

OCTOBER 1: The Grizzlies couldn’t get through the first day of training camp without another injury popping up, this one to their top frontcourt player.

Jaren Jackson Jr. injured his hamstring while driving to the basket. Jackson felt “tightness” after the play, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins, and he’ll undergo an MRI, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon reports. Jenkins speculates that Jackson will be diagnosed with a strain, which could keep him out the remainder of camp and jeopardize his chances of playing in the regular season opener.

Memphis’ 2023/24 season was wrecked by injuries and the Grizzlies already had two players dealing with injuries that will keep them out of training camp and beyond.

The team announced last week that Vince Williams would be out at least four weeks due to a left leg ailment. GG Jackson underwent foot surgery in early September with a reevaluation scheduled for three months from the time of the procedure.

Santi Aldama could see some extended playing time at power forward until Jackson and/or Williams return.

And-Ones: NBAGL Trades, Extension Candidates, Woj’s Replacement, More

October 1st, 2024 at 9:29am CST by Luke Adams

Toronto’s G League affiliate – the Raptors 905 – has made a pair of trades in recent days, including a four-team deal that sent Kennedy Chandler‘s returning rights to the 905, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). As we noted recently when the NBA’s Raptors signed and waived Chandler, their G League team still needed to acquire the guard’s rights in order to get him on the 905’s roster this fall.

That four-team trade also saw the Long Island Nets acquire Au’Diese Toney‘s returning rights and a 2025 first-round pick, the Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans) acquire Trhae Mitchell‘s returning rights, and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets) land the rights to Devin Cannady and Markquis Nowell along with a 2024 first-round pick.

In the 905’s other trade, the Raptors’ affiliate sent Koby McEwen‘s returning rights to the Windy City Bulls in exchange for Evan Gilyard‘s rights, tweets Murphy.

Fred Katz of The Athletic identifies five of the most interesting extension-eligible veterans to keep an eye on this fall, singling out Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr., and Mavericks center Daniel Gafford, among others.
Who are the candidates to replace Adrian Wojnarowski as ESPN’s top NBA insider? According to reporting from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic and Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, while big-name NBA reporters like Shams Charania and Chris Haynes are possibilities, it’s also not out of the question that one of ESPN’s other top news-breakers, such as Jeff Passan or Adam Schefter, could end up in the role. Marchand says Passan is a candidate to switch from MLB to the NBA, while McCarthy suggests it’s not out of the question for Schefter to take on a dual role covering the NFL and NBA.
In an in-depth Insider-only article for ESPN, Bobby Marks takes a look at all 30 teams’ training camp rosters and examines the key dates and deadlines coming up for each of those clubs.
Taking into account their projected regular season win totals, John Hollinger of The Athletic picks five teams he expects to exceed expectations in 2024/25, including the Cavaliers, Suns, and Pistons.

Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Rose, Jackson, Bane, Spencer, Konchar

September 30th, 2024 at 4:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is healthy and ready to go this fall after missing 85 of the team’s last 102 regular season games due to a pair of suspensions and a season-ending shoulder injury. While the last season-and-a-half have been pretty forgettable for fans in Memphis, Morant told reporters on Monday that he wants to remember “pretty much everything” he’s experienced during that time.

“Everything I’ve been through, I wanna remember that feeling I felt each time, no matter what situation it was,” he said, per Jason Munz of The Memphis Commerical Appeal. “I feel like it helped me a lot, it helped me grow more into a better Ja. Right now, you know, I’m probably the happiest I feel like I’ve been in a while. You know just having my family, my AAU team and the little things I was doing to keep me going and that makes me happy being able to do it this offseason – catching up with a lot of my family has been good.

“… I feel like a happy Ja is a scary Ja for a lot of people. So, long as I stay happy and healthy, it’ll be a great season.”

Morant wasn’t the only Grizzlies player to be affected by health problems last season. Nearly every one of the team’s rotation players missed time due to various injuries, but Morant and fellow cornerstones Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane are healthy this fall and the star point guard is bullish about the potential of the 2024/25 squad.

“I honestly feel like this is one of the best rosters we’ve had, you know, on paper, depth-wise,” Morant said. “And now being able to see the guys go out and when we’re playing and stuff, it gives me even more confidence. I feel like we’re pretty much loaded at every position. It’s gonna be interesting to see how it all pans out.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Derrick Rose‘s retirement wasn’t something the Grizzlies had expected this fall, but they were happy to accommodate him when he asked to be let out of his contract in order to call it a career, head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said on Monday, according to Munz. “First, congrats to Derrick Rose on his retirement. Really glad that Derrick was with us for a season,” Kleiman said. “We got a call – it was classic Derrick fashion. Completely respect Derrick, the person he is and the decision he decided to make. But, got a call out of left field from his agent last weekend. ‘He’s ready to ride off into the sunset.'”
Kleiman made it clear during his media session on Monday that Morant, Jackson, and Bane are the three players the Grizzlies are building around now and going forward, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. “I think that’s one of, if not the best three-man cores in the NBA,” Kleiman said. “I firmly believe that. We’ve spent years trying to think about what are the type of players that fit best around them, and I think every year we have trended more and more in that direction.”
Already without Vince Williams (leg) and GG Jackson (foot) for training camp, the Grizzlies are also missing two-way player Cam Spencer for now as he deals with an ankle sprain Kleiman described as “moderate,” according to Cole. “A little bit shorter-handed than we’d like to be,” Kleiman said. “… It’s next man up. Down to the two-ways. We feel strongly about each of the three two-ways on the roster. They’re guys who can potentially contribute.”
The Grizzlies are carrying just 13 players on standard contracts for now and could wait as late as two weeks into the regular season to add a 14th man if they so choose. Kleiman didn’t offer any real hints on Monday about who might fill that spot, as Cole notes. “I think realistically, you’ll see someone in the 14th spot before we start the regular season,” Kleiman said. “Don’t hold me to that. Not promising it. Over the course of training camp and preseason, we’ll evaluate.”
Reserve wing John Konchar said his goal in 2024/25 is to make at least 38% of his three-pointers, tweets Cole. Konchar was a 40.6% three-point shooter in his first three NBA seasons, but knocked down just 33.0% in the past two seasons.

Southwest Notes: Eason, Jackson, Pelicans, Extension Candidates

September 18th, 2024 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

The leg injury that sidelined Tari Eason for most of the 2023/24 season has made him the most overlooked of the Rockets‘ young core players, but he remains highly regarded by the team’s decision-makers, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

Eason’s role for the Rockets in 2024/25 may ultimately be impacted by how some of his teammates perform and what sort of needs are created as a result. However, Feigen points out that Houston outscored opponents by 9.4 points per 100 possessions with Eason on the court last season and that the forward also had the best net rating among rotation players in 2022/23. In other words, the club will find minutes for him.

Eason is unlikely to crack the starting lineup, but assuming he’s fully healthy, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him deployed as the primary backup at both forward sports, says Feigen.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. just celebrated his 25th birthday on Sunday, but as Memphis’ longest-tenured player who is entering his seventh NBA season, he’s embracing his role as a veteran leader for the team, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details. “I definitely feel like a veteran somewhat,” Jackson said. “Especially being here in one place for so long and seeing everybody roll in here in and out. You see a lot of different things with staff, players. It’s crazy when you think about it.”
The Pelicans have formally announced their new media rights deal with Gray Media, which will allow them to locally televise games over-the-air for free. Christian Clark of NOLA.com provides some more details on the agreement, including outlining which markets it will reach and explaining why the Pelicans decided to part with Bally Sports and go this route.
In a story for Bleacher Report, Eric Pincus takes a closer look at what “fair market” deals would look like for several of the top remaining rookie scale extension candidates, including several notable players from out of the Southwest. Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Jalen Green (Rockets), and Trey Murphy (Pelicans) are some of the fourth-year players who will reach restricted free agency in 2025 if they don’t sign new deals by October 21.

Southwest Notes: Duke, Ingram, Marshall, Jackson Jr.

July 31st, 2024 at 8:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs re-signed David Duke Jr. on a two-way contract and his goal is to be a defensive stalwart, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

“That’s number one for me, my priority,” Duke said. “It’s what is going to get me on the floor, keep me on the floor, utilizing the defensive gifts I have, and then from there, expanding other parts of my game.”

Duke is heartened that San Antonio’s front office has faith in him. “They value me, they want me back,” Duke said. “It’s a good feeling to be wanted by a team, especially at this level. I just take it as an opportunity to grow … and show them more parts of my game that maybe they haven’t seen.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Spurs second-round selection Harrison Ingram, who also signed a two-way deal, is expected to see plenty of time with the G League’s Austin Spurs, according to Orsborn. “Whatever it takes, whether it’s the G League to stay with the main team, I’m ready to do it to achieve my dreams,” Ingram said. The rookie forward averaged 10.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.6 minutes during the Las Vegas Summer League. In three games at the Sacramento California Classic, he averaged 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
The Mavericks signed former Pelicans wing Naji Marshall to a three-year deal in free agency. Marshall told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com that defense will remain his calling card. “They (the Pelicans) gave me that kind of role and I just ran with it,” he said. “I know my game. And the people we have on this team, they’re going to make me better. And I know I can make them better. So I’m just excited to get this going.”
Could the NBA’s new broadcasting deals, which will lead to significant salary cap growth, facilitate the Grizzlies’ efforts to retain Jaren Jackson Jr. in the long-term? Jackson is extension-eligible next offseason when the new TV deal kicks in, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal notes. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year could become eligible for a five-year, $318MM super-max extension if he’s named Defensive Player of the Year once again or earns an All-NBA spot in 2025. Of course, Memphis wouldn’t be obligated to put a full super-max offer on the table for Jackson if he meets the performance criteria.