Why Jaren Jackson Jr. Made Perfect Sense for Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz have been patiently waiting for the right time to strike.

Armed with an abundance of first-round picks over the next several years, and being a team that is ready to shake the rebuild process and take the steps back to contention starting next season, the opportunity for Jaren Jackson Jr. became too good to pass up.

The move signals what is ahead for the Jazz, and Jackson was exactly what the team needed to surround its quickly establishing core of players; here's why:

Defense

Jan 9, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) reacts after a basket during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Any conversation about JJJ should start with his defensive abilities; the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year is one of the best rim protectors and help defenders in the world.

Jackson has a massive 7'4 wingspan, which he uses to deter and impact shots around the rim. On top of that, he's very mobile on the perimeter and can guard multiple positions across the frontcourt.

While he's taken a step back from the league-leading 3.0 blocks per game he averaged during his DPOY season, he is still a terrific rim defender. The Jazz have the worst defense in the NBA again this year, so improving on that end of the court will be massive for their success going forward.

Now, they'll be able to build their defense around Jackson and Walker Kessler, forming one of the most intimidating rim protection duos in the league.

Hmm... https://t.co/eiH3uPZRtD pic.twitter.com/arYEi98Ipo
— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) February 3, 2026

Size

Oct 29, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (left), forward Kyle Filipowski (22) and center Walker Kessler (right) are introduced before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Expanding on that last point, adding the 6'10 Jackson to a lineup with a pair of 7-footers in Kessler and Markkanen, and a 6'9 Ace Bailey means that the Jazz will have a ton of size.

The NBA has a bounty on size and shooting, something that the Jazz now have a lot of. Keyonte George will now be the team's smallest player, and at 6'4, he's not a small guard by any means.

One of the fatal flaws of the previous iteration of Jazz basketball was its lack of size. Outside of Rudy Gobert, the Jazz lacked the size to shrink the court and defend the rim.

The Jazz learning from their problems is a welcome sight, especially in a conference where you'll have to go through Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama to win at the highest level.

Perimeter Shooting

While his defense is the most exciting part of his game, Jaren Jackson Jr. is a 2x All-Star in large part due to his offensive ability. The forward is a career 35% shooter from deep, and has shot 36.9% over the past two seasons.

Jackson also can punish smaller defenders in the post, particularly with a soft left-handed floater, and has a little bit of juice as a face-up guy on the perimeter.

I'm very excited to see what Will Hardy can do with Jackson in his off-ball motion-heavy offense while being flanked by Markkanen, George, and Bailey.

Bet on Young Stars

Last and certainly not least, this move was a bet on Utah's young players, specifically Keyonte George and Ace Bailey. The Jazz will also add another top-end lottery pick to the core in the upcoming NBA draft.

Together, alongside their new frontcourt, we're looking at the foundation of the next great Jazz team.

Bottom Line

Jaren Jackson Jr. is a 26-year-old who's already won a Defensive Player of the Year and has been a 2x All-Star and a 3x All-Defensive team selection. Those guys rarely become available, and the Jazz were smart to strike while he was.

Welcome to Utah, Jaren Jackson Jr! pic.twitter.com/i7WlpBLbli
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 3, 2026

His defense, size, shooting, and age all make him a perfect fit for a Jazz team that'll be full steam ahead towards getting back into the Western Conference playoff picture next year.

It's time to buy your Jazz stock now, folks; the price will only go up from here.

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