How many players in the league are their team’s best offensive player and best defender? Giannis Antetokounmpo is an obvious choice in Milwaukee but after that?
Jaren Jackson Jr. is that in Memphis. He leads the team in scoring at 22.7 points a game (with 5.8 rebounds) and has become a primary shot creator for the Grizzlies, plus Jackson Jr. will be in the mix (and may be the front runner) for Defensive Player of the Year.
Which is why the news Jackson Jr. going to be out weeks with a Grade 2 ankle sprain is such a blow to the Grizzlies.
Not good news at any time, but with Ja Morant missing games with a shoulder injury it is especially troubling for Memphis. How long will Jackson Jr. be out? Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes says about three weeks, which would be around a dozen games.
Re: Jaren Jackson Jr.: A Grade 2 sprain is also known as a partial or incomplete tear. Multiple players have sustained G2 ankle sprains in recent seasons, include teammate Ja Morant. The average time lost for injuries of this severity is ~ 3 weeks.
— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) March 4, 2025
Memphis outscored opponents by 9.2 points per 100 possessions when Jackson Jr. is on the court this season.
Memphis, 38-23, is in the middle of a tight race for seeds 2-5 in the West: the Lakers, Nuggets, Rockets and Grizzlies are all within two games of each other. Memphis cannot afford to go on a slide while Jackson Jr. is out.
Jackson Jr. is in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year and is almost a lock for an All-NBA team. He’s played in 59 games, and as long as he returns in time to play six more, he will qualify for postseason awards. Based on his estimated three-week absence it will be tight, but you can be sure Jackson Jr. and the Grizzlies are well aware of the situation.
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