Jaren Jackson Jr. Trade Pushes Memphis Grizzlies Down in NBA Power Rankings

The team moved on from the former Defensive Player of the Year at the trade deadline.

Portland Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen comes down with a rebound against Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson. | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies are in a rut, and there doesn't seem to be a way out any time soon.

The team struggles are reflected in NBA.com writer John Schuhmann's power rankings this week, as the team has fallen from No. 24 to No. 25, their lowest spot of the season.

"Ja Morant is still here, mostly because his trade value has sunk like a stone over the last few years. But Jaren Jackson Jr. is gone and the Grizzlies will seemingly rebuild around Cedric Coward, Zach Edey and whomever they get in the next few drafts," Schuhmann wrote.

"The good news is that Scotty Pippen Jr. made his season debut on Friday, and this week could bring the Grizzlies’ first game where both Pippen and Ty Jerome are available."

Memphis Grizzlies guard Walter Clayton Jr. brings the ball up court during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers. | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Grizzlies Find New Low in Power Rankings

The only teams that ranked below the Grizzlies in the power rankings are the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings.

The Grizzlies showed signs of progress just before the deadline with a win against the playoff-contending Minnesota Timberwolves, but then they traded Jackson Jr. to the Jazz, and things have since gone downhill.

"The Grizzlies actually won their first two February games, stunning the Wolves (in Jackson’s final game in Memphis) last Monday. But their most important two days regarding competing for a Play-In berth were their weekend back-to-back in Portland, and they lost both games, with some unfamiliar faces in the rotation. They’ve now allowed more than 122 points per 100 possessions over their last nine," Schuhmann wrote.

It's crazy to see how things can quickly change in the NBA, and the Grizzlies are a prime example of that.

"The Grizzlies had the league’s best starting lineup last season, and on March 16, 2025 (with just 14 games left in the regular season), they were tied for second place in the West at 43-25, holding the league’s fourth-best point differential (plus-5.9 per 100 possessions). Less than 11 months later, they’ve traded two critical members of what was still a young core," Schuhmann wrote.

The Grizzlies have two games left before the All-Star break on the road against some difficult opponents in the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets.

Tip-off between the Grizzlies and Warriors is scheduled for 9 pm CT inside the Chase Center in San Francisco. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.