Keyonte George Weighs In on Jazz’s Jaren Jackson Jr. Trade

The Utah Jazz took a major trade deadline swing earlier this week with their deal for Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies; an eye-catching move that now accelerates the team's window to compete as soon as next season, adding a two-time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year to an already-strong frontcourt.

The move––sticking out as the biggest move made by the Jazz front office since 2022––has certainly generated some notable excitement from both fans and inside the building.

For third-year guard Keyonte George in particular, he's also looking forward to the chance to play with a big-time Jackson Jr. skillset, and from the buzz that's going around, George is confident he'll fit right in.

"Jaren, you know, and all the other guys that are coming, it's very exciting to get a guy like that," George said after the trade. "Was able to talk to Jaren a little bit at All-Star when he made it [in 2023], and just been hearing nothing but great things."

"Good guy, I can tell he has a lot of energy to him, and so I know his personality is going to fit right away into the group. His versatility, what he brings to the floor, it's exciting."

new Jazzmen are on the way and there's plenty of buzz going around 👀

Lauri and Key share their thoughts on the recent trade to acquire @jarenjacksonjr and what their former teammates meant to them 🎤💜#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/6eJ5Gyr3XV
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 4, 2026

Jaren Jackson Trade is Bittersweet for Jazz

Pairing an offensive playmaker in the backcourt like George with the two-way prowess of Jackson Jr., it creates quite an appealing fit on paper that the Jazz will be able to build around for the years to come. And when paired next to others like Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey, and a healthy Walker Kessler, those hopes get even higher.

However, with such a trade for a talent like Jackson Jr. also comes with a sacrifice, that being Utah's three firsts and four players send to Memphis, and a group of guys that George was sad to see leave.

Most notably, he highlighted Taylor Hendricks as the departure that hit home the most; someone that's been by his side in Utah since both were drafted in 2023, and a guy that he's been a huge supporter of since day one.

"The initial thoughts were, you know, sad, obviously," George said. "Just because of the guys that left, the bonds that we were creating; Slo-Mo [Kyle Anderson], George [Niang], Walt [Clayton]. But, with me, you know, the one that hit home was Taylor [Hendricks]. We've been through a lot. He been through a lot. I tried to stay with him every step of his journey coming back, and I felt like I was one of his biggest fans when it came to him."

"It's just so crazy. Me and him went to a soul food restaurant the night before, and you just never know what could happen. When it happened, didn't really have too many emotions, and then, after the game, kind of settled in and hit me on the bus, man. Just kind of looking at some of the photos of all of us together. The smiles, the jokes that we share. So, yeah, that meant a lot to me."

Nov 3, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3), forward Lauri Markkanen (23), and forward Taylor Hendricks (0) react during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

It's the bittersweet nature of the NBA trade deadline, where some beloved names are bound to get uprooted if the right opportunity arises. Hendricks, Walt Clayton Jr., and the two veterans in Kyle Anderson and Georges Niang, just so happened to be the latest entry into that trend.

However, the end goal for the Jazz in any deal is to end up better on the other side of it. This one in particular marks a sharp turnaround in their ongoing rebuild to push for a chance at that long-awaited postseason appearance next year.

Time will tell if that success comes to fruition as early as next season. But nonetheless, the vision for what's been building in Salt Lake City over the past few years is now really starting to take shape.

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