Memphis Consolidated Two First-Round Slots Into LaRavia and a Future Second
The draft-night structure was unusual. Minnesota sent the rights to No. 19 pick Jake LaRavia plus a future second-rounder to Memphis and received the rights to No. 22 Walker Kessler and No. 29 TyTy Washington Jr. Memphis was effectively willing to give up two later first-round slots to secure LaRavia, but the future second kept the deal from becoming a one-player bet. That second ultimately landed at No. 45 in 2023, where the Grizzlies selected GG Jackson II.
LaRavia Became Useful Rotation Value Before Memphis Moved Him
LaRavia never became a star in Memphis, but he did become an NBA rotation forward. He played 35 games as a rookie, 35 more in 2023-24 and 47 for the Grizzlies in 2024-25 before being traded to Sacramento at the deadline. His final Memphis stretch was his most efficient, with 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in 20.9 minutes. Memphis later included him in a three-team transaction, so the downstream return cannot be assigned to LaRavia alone, but the original pick produced 117 regular-season games for the franchise.
The Future Second Became the Best Direct Asset in the Deal
The 2023 second-round pick became No. 45 GG Jackson II, and that is what pushes the hindsight result toward Memphis. Jackson made the 2023-24 All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 14.6 points in 48 games as a 19-year-old. After an injury-limited 2024-25, he returned to play 55 games with 28 starts in 2025-26 and averaged 12.5 points. Through that season he had already played 132 regular-season games for Memphis. Turning a future second into a young rotation scorer with an All-Rookie season gave the Grizzlies more direct value than the trade looked capable of producing on draft night.
Minnesota Used Both Incoming Rights as Trade Currency
The Timberwolves did not keep either player they acquired. Walker Kessler was included less than two weeks later in the much larger Rudy Gobert trade with Utah, while TyTy Washington Jr. was rerouted to Houston with two future seconds for Wendell Moore Jr. Kessler clearly carried real transaction value because he was part of the Gobert package, but that deal also contained four veteran players, four first-round picks and a pick swap. Minnesota therefore deserves credit for preserving value, not the full value of Gobert. Washington's next move produced much less, leaving Memphis with the stronger direct player return from this specific exchange.
Final Verdict
Grizzlies Win — Memphis B+, Minnesota B. Memphis received 117 regular-season games from Jake LaRavia and used the future second-round pick on GG Jackson II, an All-Rookie selection who had already reached 132 games for the Grizzlies through 2025-26. Minnesota kept value alive by using Walker Kessler in the Rudy Gobert package and TyTy Washington Jr. in the Wendell Moore Jr. deal, but neither player ever suited up for the Timberwolves. Memphis produced more direct, attributable value from both incoming assets, while Minnesota's return depended on larger follow-up transactions.