When the Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Magic ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, it raised eyebrows. Were they gearing up for a rebuild? Or just reshuffling the deck? Turns out, it was all part of a calculated push to clear cap space and re-sign their defensive anchor, Jaren Jackson Jr. And they pulled it off. But just as that vision was coming together, it’s suddenly on hold—thanks to an injury that could sideline Jackson before the season even begins.

As the new league year begins, the Grizzlies are looking to keep building around that younger foundation. They’ve promoted Tuomas Iisalo to full-time head coach after parting ways with Taylor Jenkins late last season. Despite a 48–34 record, Memphis was swept in the first round by the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder. It marked their third first-round exit in five years—and their first playoff appearance via the Play-In Tournament. With all eyes on Jackson and the new direction of the franchise, the Grizzlies were hoping for a clean slate this fall.

But just as things seemed to be settling into place, that foundation took a hit. On X, the Grizzlies dropped a tough update: “While participating in a live basketball run offsite, Jackson Jr. sustained a turf toe injury in his right foot, which upon expert evaluation yesterday, was determined to require a procedure to repair.” They didn’t offer a timeline but reassured fans that “Jackson Jr. is expected to make a full recovery.” Still, it’s a frustrating bump in the road right after locking in their franchise cornerstone.

And unfortunately, this isn’t new territory for Jackson. Injuries have followed him throughout his career, and this year alone, he’s already battled through quite a few. According to FOX Sports, he’s dealt with a back injury on April 12, a face injury, an ankle issue, and a thigh injury.

We finally got a bit more clarity on his current injury situation thanks to Brian Windhorst. As posted by Legion Hoops on X, Windhorst reported that Jackson could be out for about 4–5 months, which lines up with the typical recovery timeline for turf toe. That likely means he’ll miss the start of the 2025–26 season—an unfortunate setback for a team banking heavily on his presence.

But not all the news is grim. Fellow big man Brandon Clarke, who suffered a high-grade PCL sprain in his right knee back in March, is on the mend. He avoided surgery and, as things stand now, is expected to be ready for the start of the season—offering at least some frontcourt relief for Memphis as they await JJJ’s return.

Jaren Jackson Jr. signs the richest contract in Grizzlies history

The Memphis Grizzlies just made the biggest financial commitment in franchise history—and they made it to a player they’re clearly ready to build around for the long haul. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Grizzlies and Jaren Jackson Jr. are expected to agree on a five-year, $240 million maximum contract extension—the richest contract in Grizzlies history, as reported by The Athletic.

The deal, which includes renegotiation and a player option in the final year (2029–30), will pay Jackson about $48 million per year and officially kicks in for the 2025–26 season. Essentially, Jackson still had one year left on his previous four-year, $104.7 million deal, but Memphis didn’t want to risk losing him in free agency. So they got ahead of it, smartly locking him in now.

And Jackson absolutely earned this payday. The 25-year-old is coming off a career-best season in 2024–25, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game on 48.8/37.5/78.1 shooting splits across 74 games. He made his second All-Star appearance, earned All-Defensive Second Team honors, and posted career highs in threes made (146) and points in the paint (824). A former Defensive Player of the Year and one of the NBA’s premier two-way big men, Jackson has now become the centerpiece of Memphis’ long-term plans, and he’ll be just 30 when this contract expires—still very much in his prime.

Right after locking in their franchise star, the Grizzlies kept the momentum going by re-signing restricted free agent Santi Aldama to a three-year, $52.5 million deal. Aldama, who was expected to draw interest from teams like the Pistons, got locked in quickly—signaling how much Memphis values his growth. They also took care of Cam Spencer, rewarding the rookie guard with a two-year, $4.5 million contract after an impressive season on a two-way deal. Later that same day, they added more depth with a three-year, $28 million agreement for Ty Jerome, further strengthening their backcourt rotation.

But the real shakeup came earlier this summer, when Memphis traded away Desmond Bane in a blockbuster deal that stunned fans. The trade marked the official end of the Jackson-Bane-Ja Morant trio that had powered the Grizzlies to 48+ wins in three of the last four seasons. It was a move driven by financial reality. As reports put it, “Signing Jackson to a new, lucrative extension while also paying out expensive deals to Morant and Bane would have made it very difficult for the Grizzlies to build out the rest of the roster.” So, Memphis made its choice—committing fully to Jackson and Morant as the two pillars they’ll build around going forward.