The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade was the first giveaway that the Utah Jazz had every intention of turning things around next season. That's why the Jazz also gave up a hefty price for the former Defensive Player of the Year. The NBA's latest lottery reform made the trade look even better, but only hypothetically, which is why the latest twist actually isn't that big of a deal.
For full context, the NBA's lottery reform prevents teams from getting a top-five pick three years in a row. By process of getting a top-five pick over the last two years, Utah can't get it again next season. However, their pick would conditionally go to the Grizzlies if it came to that, so if they were bad, it would go the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies have the more favorable 2027 first of Cleveland, Minnesota and Utah.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) May 28, 2026
Because Utah has a top-5 pick this year, their first in 2027 cannot be in the top-5 under the new rules. https://t.co/U4uhXU3XmI
Is this unfair for the Grizzlies? Without a doubt. If they had known about this ahead of time, they probably would have demanded more from the Jazz in the deal. However, it's not like it's a foregone conclusion Utah would give Memphis such an asset.
In fact, it's so unlikely they would that it's kind of a joke that we're even discussing this in the first place.
The Jazz plans to be awesome next season already negatively affects the asset
In case it hasn't been clear to everyone, Utah has all the makings of a playoff team this coming season. Pending any unforeseen injuries, which are definitely possible, the first-round pick they would potentially owe the Grizzlies wouldn't be anywhere close to top-five.
In fact, Utah could and should be so overwhelming with talent next season that they could be better than both Cleveland and Minnesota next season - both of whom are coming off pretty telling playoff losses - so if either of those two teams winds up giving their pick to Memphis by process of being worse than Utah, then this is a whole lot of nothing.
That's not to take away from the fact that the Grizzlies were essentially stripped of the possibility of getting a golden asset of the Jazz, but at the same time, they still have the chance of getting a golden asset anyway if either the Cavaliers or Timberwolves are bad next season.
Even if the odds aren't high that such a scenario would happen, the point is it's not like this trade completely screwed up everything on Memphis' side of the JJJ trade. Plus, they still have both the Suns and Lakers picks that the Jazz gave them too.
The best word to describe how this latest lottery reform changes things for the Grizzlies after the JJJ trade is inconvenient, but far from catastrophic.
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