Jaren Jackson Jr.'s painfully obvious weakness makes Jazz perfect team for him

The new car smell from the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade hasn't worn off and likely won't until the end of the calendar year. It's clear how much the former Defensive Player of the Year single-handedly helps the Utah Jazz on that end of the floor, but the Jazz are also perfect for him because they cover up his lone Achilles heel: his rebounding.

JJJ has always been lauded for the skills he brings to the floor, and he brings a lot. Defensve, floor-spacing, shot creation are all his calling cards. Something that he has routinely been criticized for is his rebounding. Despite being a seven-footer, Jackson isn't just subpar at rebounding; he's downright lousy at it.

The highest rebound average he's ever posted in his NBA career has been 6.8 during the 2022-23 season with the Memphis Grizzlies. He has never before or since eclipsed six rebounds per game, and still, 6.8 rebounds as a career-high for a seven-footer? Yikes.

That hasn't gotten better in Utah, though to be fair, that's not entirely his fault, since Utah hasn't played him one second in any of their fourth quarters.

But the Jazz knew what they were getting themselves into when they traded for him. In fact, they actually have the personnel to cover up that problem.

Jusuf Nurkic has been one of the NBA's best rebounders this year, placing in the top 10 in rebounds per game by averaging 10.4 a game. He also averages only 26.4 minutes a game, showing how big of an impact he has with limited playing time.

That kind of presence on the boards will help keep JJJ's weakness under wraps during the game. There is a possibility that acquiring Jackson could force Nurkic out, but keeping him would go a long way in covering up Jackson's one flaw.

Walker Kessler's return will further mitigate the problem

Many are looking forward to when Kessler presumably returns from injury next season. Both he and Jackson should give Utah their most fearsome defensive duo in decades. However, Kessler also fits wellk next to Jackson because he too is one of the NBA's best rebounders.

Kessler's known better for what he does on the offensive end in terms of rebounding, but even so, he should single-handedly be able to take care of any concerns about Jackson's shortcomings on the boards. Keeping Nurkic would make it even better.

This has all the makings of a very mutually beneficial partnership between Jackson and the Jazz. Utah knew they weren't acquiring the perfect player, but they were acquiring someone who was perfect for them and he was going to a team that would mask his one shortcoming.

It's hard not to think this could go down as the best trade in franchise history for those two reasons.