Memphis Grizzlies fans barely had time to celebrate Jaren Jackson Jr.’s blockbuster extension before anxiety set in. On July 2 2025—less than 48 hours after agreeing to a five-year, $240 million max deal—the 25-year-old All-Star underwent surgery to repair turf toe in his right foot, an injury sustained during an off-site summer run. The team said Jackson will be re-evaluated in roughly 12 weeks, placing an optimistic return somewhere around early October and the eve of training camp, but turf-toe recoveries can stretch longer depending on post-operative progress.
The timing is cruelly ironic. Jackson’s extension—reportedly including a player option in 2029-30—cements him as the franchise’s defensive anchor and a foundational partner for Ja Morant. Memphis calculated that locking up the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year before the salary cap spikes again would save long-term dollars. Yet the front office also accepted risk: only two seasons ago, Jackson missed the first 14 games rehabbing a stress fracture in the same foot, and big men with repeated lower-extremity procedures often see cautious minutes caps in their mid-20s.
From a roster-building perspective, the injury clouds what was shaping up as a pivotal summer. General manager Zach Kleiman planned to bolster the frontcourt depth behind Jackson—last year’s primary backup, Xavier Tillman Sr., is an unrestricted free agent—while finding more two-way wings to flank Morant and Desmond Bane. Now the Grizzlies must decide whether to spend a portion of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception on a temporary starter who might become surplus by January, or roll with an internal committee featuring Santi Aldama and GG Jackson II. The franchise already has $190 million in guaranteed salaries for 2025-26; applying for the disabled-player exception could carve out roughly $6 million, but that relief only arrives if doctors project Jackson to miss the entire year—an outcome Memphis insists is unlikely.
On-court, Jackson’s absence removes the league’s most versatile rim protector from Taylor Jenkins’ drop-and-switch scheme. Last season he averaged 22.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks while committing a career-low 3.1 fouls per 36 minutes, showing real growth as both a scorer on the short roll and a disciplined shot-contester. Memphis finished sixth in defensive rating when he played and slipped to 20th when he sat, a swing that underscores how precarious the team’s identity is without him. If rehab stretches beyond opening night, Jenkins may lean heavier on Morant-Bane pick-and-rolls, push for transition opportunities, and experiment with small-ball lineups where Aldama or even sophomore forward Brayden Pierce toggles between five and four defensively.
Historically, turf toe surgeries have produced mixed timelines: Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders missed an entire NFL season, while NBA peer Jrue Holiday returned in three months. The Grizzlies’ medical staff believes Jackson’s youth, conditioning and prior track record of diligent rehab point toward the shorter end of that spectrum, but the organization will prioritize long-term health over early-season wins. For now, Memphis faithful have to live with the dissonance of celebrating a franchise-cornerstone contract even as that cornerstone arrives on crutches—hoping the fall chill of October brings both a clean bill of health and the sight of Jackson swatting shots at FedExForum once again.
