The NBA world received a heartbreaking update right out of the All-Star break when the San Antonio Spurs announced that Victor Wembanyama would be out for the season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Wembanyama was the runaway favorite to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, but with his injury, Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. has emerged as the new favorite. If he does win, he would become eligible for a $345 million supermax extension.
Victor Wembanyama’s Absence Could Lead To Massive Payday For Jarren Jackson Jr.
Before the issue revealed itself during the All-Star break, Wembanyama was on pace for a historic season. Already snagging an All-Star selection, he was averaging a tidy 24.3 points, 3.7 assists, and 11 rebounds while adding close to four blocks per game.
The betting favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award, Wembanyama was showcasing an offense-altering presence in the paint that was hard to quantify in numbers.
But after his injury, Jackson Jr. has become the new betting favorite for the prestigious award. He won the award in 2023, and if the Grizzlies star can beat out the rest of the league again this year, he’s set for one of the largest contracts in NBA history, a five-year, $345 million super-max extension.
NBA money is crazy, and this just might be the next craziest contract.
After Wemby's season-ending injury, Jaren Jackson Jr. became the odds on favorite to win DPOY.
Normally if you are a Grizzlies fan, that would be an accomplishment. But in reality, it could be a burden for… pic.twitter.com/EXaYL43VxG
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 24, 2025
Jackson is averaging 22.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while adding nearly 2 blocks per game in the 55 games played this season. His numbers are better than his second-betting favorite, Evan Mobley, who is averaging 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while making 0.1 fewer blocks per game than Jackson.
Even if Jackson doesn’t win the DPOY award, he still has a good chance of being named to one of the league’s three All-NBA teams, which could also make him eligible for a hefty extension. He’s also fresh off making his second All-Star appearance, that alone makes him eligible for a max contract of four years and $229 million.
The Grizzlies star signed a four-year contract extension with Memphis worth $105 million in 2021 and is currently being paid over $25 million in the 2025 season. He’s set to earn $23.3 million next season, but if he activates the renegotiation clause in his contract, Jackson can earn up to $36.5 million, if he makes one of the All-NBA teams.
However, if the 25-year-old fails to win both of the honors, Memphis can retain him with a four-year veteran extension worth $147 million. Jackson would be making nearly $32 million less per season compared to the supermax. Thus, it likely Jackson will be putting in his all for the Grizzlies in the remaining games.
As of Feb. 25, the Grizzlies are third in the West Conference standings with a 37-20 record behind the Denver Nuggets in second, who have played and won one extra game.
