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After a season-ending sweep in the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Memphis Grizzlies' future is murkier than ever. And so may be Jaren Jackson Jr.'s.
The Grizzlies finished the 2025 postseason without a win, having been swept by the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. The series loss marks the third time in five years that Memphis has failed to advance to the second round. In that timespan, the Grizzlies, who last reached the conference finals in 2013, have won just one series overall.
As a result, what the Grizzlies' front office will do over the next year or two is unclear, which includes extending Jackson. And the Memphis big man apparently did not want to talk to the media about it either.
“Jaren Jackson Jr. didn't want to say anything about a potential extension this summer,” The Daily Memphian's Drew Hill wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“But he did say ‘of course' when asked if staying in Memphis is a priority. He also said the franchise means a lot to him, and he never expected to have longevity like this in one place.”
Memphis fired head coach Taylor Jenkins nearly a month ago, shortly before the postseason, signifying apparent discontent within the organization. While the Grizzlies ultimately still made the playoffs by defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the final Western Conference Play-In game to earn the No. 8 seed, their series with the Thunder did not go well, to say the least.
In Game 1 of the series, the Grizzlies were thoroughly embarrassed by a 51-point loss. The Grizzlies lost by nearly 20 in Game 2 before dropping close games at home in Memphis, ending the playoff run in the shortest possible way.
Although the team very well could attempt to run it back with many of the same pieces, what the team does with Jackson (or vice versa) may be the first real sign of what direction the Grizzlies are heading in. Jackson will enter the final year of his contract in the 2025-26 season, following which he will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.
Jackson is a two-time All-Star and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023, but his playoff performances have left a lot to be desired. This postseason, specifically, Jackson averaged 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 37.9% from the field and 27.3% on 3-pointers.
Due to his and the team's postseason shortcomings, the Grizzlies may be hesitant to extend Jackson to a max deal, which could be worth up to $300 million over five years if he delays signing an extension. While the two sides may come to a less lucrative deal, Jackson's contract situation will be one to watch out for as Memphis enters the offseason.
