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Memphis Grizzlies: Top 5 offseason questions to answer

By Lachlan Everett

MEMPHIS, TN - NOVEMBER 23: Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 and Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies talk on the court during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum on November 23, 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brandon Dill/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - NOVEMBER 23: Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 and Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies talk on the court during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum on November 23, 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brandon Dill/Getty Images) /
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Memphis Grizzlies Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images
Memphis Grizzlies Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images /

Can Jaren Jackson Jr. play center?

Jaren Jackson Jr. Is a defensive prodigy and the prototype of a modern-day big, 6’11”, switchable in the pick and roll, rim-protecting monster and able to make a three.

This season the NBA has a handful of these unicorns like Kristaps Porzingis, Anthony Davis and similarly guys who are all of the above minus the shooting in Bam Adebayo, Ben Simmons and reigning two-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo.

What many of these players have in common is that during the regular season they play power forward and another big plays center to soke up fouls and allow the above mention to be fresh for the fourth quarter and playoffs. Jackson Jr. has Jonas Valančiūnas, Giannis has Brook Lopez, Porzingis has Maxi Kleber and so forth.

As we’ve seen in the NBA playoffs Meyers Leonard and JaVale Mcgee, who started all season have become seven-foot cheerleaders as Adebayo and  Davis took on the center position. These players are often at their best when they play center and Jackson Jr. could benefit from being a full-time center, but there are some issues that need to be addressed before that can happen.

Jackson is the league’s leader in personal fouls with 4.1 per game, which reduces his minutes overall (especially at center) Jackson only played 28.5 minutes per game.

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When compared to Andre Drummond, a big hulking center sitting in the paint, he only averages 3.5 fouls per game and played 33 minutes per game this season while averaging 10.6 rebounds more than Jackson.

Despite that Jackson did play a solid amount at 5 this regular season, he guarded centers 24.3 percent of the time. If Jackson in the future is able to play center he needs to stop the fouls, this bad foul is on an inbound play against paperclip-thin Thon Maker.

While pointing out the rebounding, I don’t believe Jackson needs to be a double-digit rebounder as Memphis was a top-five rebounding team this season. Jackson boxes out well and allows Ja Morant, Bradon Clarke and Dillon Brooks to grab them and push the break.

The last note on his defense; we all that we know he’s a phenomenal shot blocker, so fixing the fouls and possibly grabbing a couple more rebounds is the best chance for Jackson to be a productive center.

On offence Jackson skills only get amplified as the opposing centers are more often slow-footed allowing Jackson to get more time and space to take his catapult-like shot, with making 39 percent of his threes this season on a clip of 6.5 per game. This also allows the team to have better spacing as seen with this lob, Bam Adebayo has to be glued to Jackson on the wing allowing Clarke to go to the rim without him lurking.

If Jackson played center more it would allow Jonas Valančiūnas to become a backup center more often and help strength the Grizzlies bench, Valančiūnas is a good center but is becoming an out of date style center unlike Al Jefferson, Valančiūnas has added a solid three-point shot ( 5% on 1.3 attempts.) However, it would be in the best interest of the Grizzlies to have him move into a lesser role and allow Bradon Clarke to become the starting power forward next to Jackson.

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