Promising Grizzlies Star Agrees to $105M Contract Extension

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr has agreed to a four-year rookie contract extension.

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Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr has agreed to a four-year rookie contract extension.

The 22-year-old has inked a deal worth $105M, extending his three-year stay at the FedExForum. His agent confirmed the news to ESPN, giving Grizzlies fans something to cheer about with the new season getting underway. Jackson seemed delighted with the outcome, telling the press on Monday, “Negotiations are part of it, but my (business) team and the Grizzlies team? They’re both my team. So we just came together and came up with something.” That something was an extension to his rookie deal, with his new money kicking in, in 12 months.

Jackson has proven to be an exciting part of the young Grizzlies team, which also features the likes of point guard Ja Morant. They might not be amongst the favorites for the NBA championship; they’re even ranked by Bwin as being behind the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference, but there’s also an air of the dark horse about them. They open with games against the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers, and a good start could give them a vital lift, buoyed by Jackson’s big decision.

The Michigan State alumni has been in great form since penning his first deal with the Grizzlies. He was the number four pick in the 2018 Draft and partners Morant perfectly, making up one of the most exciting duos on the court across the NBA. Last season he was hit by a meniscus injury, but he has since returned to fitness in preseason. In his three years with Memphis, he has averaged 15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He hit the headlines in 2019 when he made the All-Rookie First Team, making his father, former San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Jaren Jackson, proud. He’ll now be hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps and become an NBA champion, as Jackson Sr did in 1999.

The franchise has only been based in Memphis since 2000/01, and they’ve only made the playoffs once in the last four years, which was last season. They were easily defeated by the Utah Jazz in the first round, 4-1, and have only progressed beyond the conference semifinals once, back in 2013. The San Antonio Spurs ended their hopes after victories over LA Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder on that occasion.

The Jackson deal seems to be good value for the Grizzlies. Given his ability, he had a strong chance of commanding a max-level money deal next year as long as he stayed fit and healthy this season. There are parallels to be found within the agreement achieved by Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins this summer. He turned down a reported $90M, four-year deal last summer, playing out the final year of his rookie deal. He has recently penned a five-year deal worth $125M. That may have been the preference of the Grizzlies, but it comes with a risk of losing their player as a free agent. There is some uncertainty after Jackson’s injury last season, which makes $105m a good level for both parties.

(Image Credit: Trev0BFedExForum 2015CC BY-SA 4.0)

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