Two Utah Jazz facts have come to light in the past week. One, the NBA has condemned the Jazz for their tanking approach, and two, Jaren Jackson Jr. is now out for the season because of surgery to remove a tumor from his knee three games into his Jazz tenure. Question: Did the Jazz know about this before they traded for him, because it seems like something they should have known?
Brian Windhorst brought this up after the JJJ announcement. While Windhorst vowed on "The Hoop Collective" that he wouldn't talk about the NBA's tanking problem, he did openly raise the question of Jackson's recent knee surgery and why his supposed knee problem wasn't an issue before Utah traded for him.
"I feel terrible that Jaren Jackson Jr. now needs knee surgery. I am not going to ask any questions about why the physical wasn't failed and why Utah did not ask for a draft pick compensation for a player who needs knee surgery. I'm just going to wish him the best."
Well, funny enough, the Jazz were the ones who gave up draft compensation to the Memphis Grizzlies, so in context, if this had been a problem, they probably would have wanted to subtract one or more of their picks from this deal.
Nonetheless, this is definitely something worth mentioning because typically, when trades involving players of JJJ's caliber get discussed, teams that trade for him know full well what his medicals are beforehand. Especially in a case like his not just because he's good but because Utah will paying a hefty amount for him alone for the foreseeable future.
It's hard not to think that yes, they knew from the jump, and this is a strategy to further ensure their tank. The NBA's coming down hard on Utah, so Jackson's likely season-ending injury is a loophole. The Wizards are doing something similar with Anthony Davis, so why should the Jazz do anything different?
Process doesn't matter because Utah gets to have it both ways
When the Jazz traded for Jackson, it was easy to see that while they had acquired the game-changer they definitely needed long-term, that was not going to stop their tanking plans. That was pretty evident in the three games he played, in which he didn't play in the fourth quarter.
It became clear that not only are the Jazz going to be much better next season, but their goal of protecting their pick from Oklahoma City would go undeterred. Jackson's injury at least removes the elephant in the room when Utah plays.
It will feel like a long wait between now and October, but at least Utah can sleep well knowing everything is going according to plan. The best part will be, regardless of their decision-making with Jackson, this will all have blown over by the time the games really begin.