Coach Taylor Jenkins shares bleak update on Jaren Jackson Jr.’s availability for Grizzlies' season opener
The Memphis Grizzlies are looking to return to being contenders in the West, and Jaren Jackson Jr. is a big part of their setup. The team was hampered by injuries to Ja Morant and Marcus Smart last season, so they finished 13th in the West. It looks like the Grizzlies can’t get over the injury hump just yet.
On Monday, Actions News 5 Sports Director Jarvis Greer provided an update about Jackson Jr. via a tweet on X, formerly Twitter:
“Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins says Jaren Jackson Jr. will NOT play in the NBA regular season opener at Utah Wednesday. Want to give him another couple days to rest his strained hamstring suffered at the beginning of training camp.”
Jenkins also said, via USA Today:
“Hamstring's in a good spot, he's been progressing well. 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.”
Understandably, Memphis is taking the utmost precaution with Jackson Jr.’s injury. If he is rushed into a return and aggravates the injury, Jackson Jr.’s absence can force the Grizzlies into another disappointing season.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Memphis Grizzlies to wait on extension talks until 2025 summer
Although Jaren Jackson Jr. is out with a hamstring strain, that hasn’t stopped him or the team from discussing their future together.
According to ESPN, Jackson Jr. was eligible for a three-year, $106 million extension before the deadline expired on Sunday. He will revisit extension talks next offseason, becoming eligible for a four-year, $147 million extension next summer.
If the power forward makes an All-NBA team or wins the MVP or Defensive Player of the Year award, he will be eligible for a five-year, $345 million extension. It’s understandable for Jackson Jr. to bet on himself as he is just one season removed from winning the DPOY title in the 2022-23 season.
In that season, he averaged 3.0 blocks per game, which came crashing down to 1.6 blocks per game last season. So, Jaren Jackson Jr. needs to heal completely from his hamstring injury to regain his defensive prowess and guide the Grizzlies to championship contention while also looking out for his gain in the form of a max contract.