Jaren Jackson Jr's touching Grizzlies tribute should put any Jazz concerns to sleep

Jaren Jackson Jr. is the biggest name the Utah Jazz have acquired since Adrian Dantley. He may not be Nikola Jokic, but he's not too far away from him. Because of Utah's unfair reputation as an unattractive NBA destination, some may be concerned that Jackson may not want to stay there, but his recent tribute to Memphis shows that playing for a small market does not faze him.

Jackson recently paid tribute to Memphis and the Grizzlies organization two weeks after the Jazz acquired him.

For all the complaints that Salt Lake City is a small market, Memphis is even smaller. The Nielsen DMA Rankings ranked SLC at No. 28, while Memphis was No. 51. Jackson's touching words prove both that he's a loyal player and that he doesn't mind where he plays regardless of what happens.

It proves that for all the talent he has, JJJ is also a high character basketball player. That not only should help Utah feel more confident about keeping him, but should also cast side any concern about any internal strife.

With the Jazz, the success won't happen until next season, but there's a lot to like about what's to come, and Jackson is sure to play a role in that. Even better is that if you read what he says, he didn't want a trade. That speaks volumes about his character, and it should make fans feel confident that he'll embrace things here in Utah.

Jackson had success in Memphis and may have more in Utah

It seems like a distant memory now, but the Grizzlies were once the NBA's darling child, and Jackson had a lot to do with that. He and Ja Morant spearheaded one of the quickest rebuilds in recent memory. It didn't work out for them in the end, but it was impressive to see Memphis transition as quickly as they did after they blew it all up in 2019.

Now, Jackson's a Jazzman, and on paper, this Jazz team is poised to be better than the one the Grizzlies had with him at their peak. Him, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Walker Kessler, a high lottery pick (still technically in limbo), Jusuf Nurkic(?), Brice Sensabaugh, Isaiah Colier, and co. should be good enough to compete with the West.

Winning really can trump the supposed stigma of playing in a smaller market like Utah, which is why the Jazz have loaded up. They were already planning on fighting for a playoff spot with or without JJJ, but adding him into the equation was the definitive sign that they were not messing around.

Because he had nothing but great things to say about Memphis, Jazz fans should feel great about how he'll feel about Utah, with the wins sure to come. Besides, whether it works out or not, he's on the Jazz's payroll for the next three years at the very least.