The jury is still out on the Utah Jazz.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic , Jazz guards Malik Beasley and Jordan Clarkson are garnering attention on the trade market, but Utah may not be sellers.
“They have teams calling them every day on Jordan Clarkson… on Malik Beasley," Charania said. “They have a list of suitors on both of those guys, I’ve been told. I think you have to ride this out and see what this team looks like in 20-25 games.”
This comes as no surprise as both Clarkson and Beasley have been contributors to Utah’s 6-2 start and have a skill set that’s short in supply and high in demand in today's NBA.
If there’s a player that’s more likely to be moved, it would be Clarkson. The former Sixth Man of the Year has a player option of $14.2 million in 2023.
Clarkson is at a point in his career where he can still cash in on one more big deal. The 2023 free-agent market is thin on talent, paired with an 8.4% increase in the salary cap is a recipe for a big payday. Clarkson is most likely opting out, leaving Utah with a difficult decision in the present.
Beasley makes more sense to stay with the Jazz due to his age (25) and team-friendlier contract. The newly-acquired sharpshooter from the Minnesota Timberwolves has a $15M team option for 2023.
The Jazz have some leverage since the team controls the option year and can wait it out. There’s a lot of season left, but the way Beasley is playing, along with a better-than-expected Jazz team, it makes sense to offer an extension before Beasley becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
The Los Angeles Lakers have always been the most logical trade partner because of the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks that Jazz executive Danny Ainge is rumored to covet. Although, a potential roadblock could be the Lakers' slow start, along with Anthony Davis’ health.
If the Lakers don’t turn it around soon, they certainly can’t sacrifice unprotected first-round picks in a season that’s trending downward. Also, any trade involving Russell Westbrook would most likely have to include Mike Conley for the salaries to match.
There are a lot of moving parts, and as we get deeper into the season, franchises will have a clearer picture of which path to take.
Stay tuned.
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