Blazers Bet Bucks Swaps to Land Jaren Jackson Jr.

Merlin sees Portland plotting a bold swing: trade the three Milwaukee first-round swaps to land Jaren Jackson Jr., sending Jerami Grant and Scoot Henderson to Memphis. Those Bucks swaps climb in value if Giannis departs, so Portland could trade future upside for an immediate star who adds spacing, defense and low turnover play. Memphis would get youth, a guard to build around and three premium assets to reboot. Jackson’s game fits neatly beside Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan and could cure Portland’s spacing woes while pushing them into the West’s upper tier once Damian Lillard returns. Merlin warns the cost is steep; Portland is choosing now over later, and Memphis is betting the swaps and Henderson become the core of a fresh rebuild.