Jaren Jackson Jr.
#20C · Utah Jazz
All-Defensive 2nd Team '25DPOY '23All-Defensive 1st Team '23All-Defensive 1st Team '22All-Rookie 1st Team '19
Shot BlockerTwo-Way
Height
6'10"
Weight
242 lbs
Age
26
College
Michigan State
Experience
7 yrs
D
A+
D
B
N/A
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The Verdict on Jaren, in One Read
On the field, Jaren Jackson Jr. grades out as a shaky C for Utah Jazz (D Impact). That places him 27th of 97 graded centers. In his on-court role, the grade is strong (B Role), reflecting how he produces relative to others at his position. The money matches the play — the Contract Value Index lands at D, a slight overpay. The public read is very positive (A+ Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
Career StatsB-
| Year | Team | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PT% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 455 | 19.4 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 47.6% | 35.1% | 79.3% |
| 2025-26 | | 48 | 19.4 | 5.7 | 2.0 |
Performance Grade by Season
PeakB+LongevityEstablishedRecentB
| Season | Team | GP | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | | 48 | 19.4 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 47.6% | B B |
| 2024-25 |  | 74 | 22.2 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 48.8% | B+ B+ |
| 2023-24 | | 66 | 22.5 | 5.5 | 2.3 | 44.4% | B B |
| 2022-23 | | 63 | 18.6 | 6.8 | 1.0 | 50.6% | B+ B+ |
| 2021-22 | | 78 | 16.3 | 5.8 | 1.1 | 41.5% | B B |
| 2020-21 | | 11 | 14.4 | 5.6 | 1.1 | 42.4% | B- B- |
| 2019-20 | | 57 | 17.4 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 46.9% | B- B- |
| 2018-19 | | 58 | 13.8 | 4.7 | 1.1 | 50.6% | C+ C+ |
Grades reflect the player's performance in each season. Header grade shows the current season.
Current Contract
Length
1 year
Total Value
$35.0M
Guaranteed
$84.0M
AAV
$35.0M/yr
Guaranteed %240%
Contract Value Index (CVI)
D
Below Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
Jaren Jackson Jr. delivered enough rotation-tier impact to earn a D Contract Value Index against the NBA pay band. His 2025-26 season produced 19.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 2.0 APG across 48 games—solid starter numbers that align with his established-veteran classification, but they fall short of justifying a $35M annual commitment in a league where that salary tier typically demands either elite two-way production or franchise-defining defensive anchoring. At 26 years old with a decorated resume including a DPOY award, two All-Defensive 1st Team selections, and a 2025 All-Defensive 2nd Team nod, Jackson Jr. remains a genuinely impactful rim protector; the issue is that his offensive limitations and one-year contract window leave little margin for error in demonstrating he's worth the premium the Jazz are paying. The broader context—Utah sitting at 22-60 with recent transactions limited to guard depth signings and 10-day contracts—suggests an organization in evaluation mode rather than championship contention, which further misaligns the spending level with the team's actual competitive posture. Media enthusiasm around the blockbuster trade that brought him to Salt Lake City is genuine and well-founded on a defensive-identity standpoint, but sentiment optimism doesn't bridge the value gap between what Jackson Jr. produces on both ends and what $35M demands in return.
Performance Analysis
B-
#27 of 97 Centers
FC
Contracts in the Same Value Band
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the D band — a quick read on where Jaren's contract sits relative to comparable money.
How Jaren Compares at the Position
Jaren Jackson Jr. ranks 27th of 97 graded centers by performance. That slots Jaren between Nikola Vucevic (B-) just ahead and Ryan Kalkbrenner (B-) just behind.
Graded higher
Nikola VucevicBoston CelticsB-Kel'el WareMiami HeatB-Kristaps PorzingisGolden State WarriorsB-Jaren Jackson Jr.B-
Graded lower
Ryan KalkbrennerCharlotte HornetsTransaction History
No transactions found for this player.
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About this player
Jaren Jackson Jr. is a player in his 7th NBA season listed at C for the Utah Jazz. FanVerdicts covers every NBA player, team, GM, and transaction — and puts your verdict on all of it. Sign in to cast your Fan Verdict on Jaren Jackson Jr., see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts also brings its own read — performance, sentiment, and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index D, Performance B-, Sentiment A+.
The crowd's Fan Verdict moves in real time as fans vote on this profile. FanVerdicts' own read updates as new data lands — performance recalculates when NBA game stats post, sentiment shifts with media coverage and fan discussion, and the Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) behind the Contract Value Index read.
For league-wide context, the NBA hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The NBA player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.