As we start to near the approaching NBA offseason, the chatter is starting to generate around some potential names that could be on the move in the coming months. Summers in the NBA are always full of change around the league, and this year will likely be no different.
Among those teams that could see some change on the roster could be the Utah Jazz. After their second-straight losing season is set to be in the books, the front office will be looking to how to get this team back on a competitive track, and it may come from sending away one of their key veteran contributors: Jordan Clarkson.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report pinned Clarkson as one of the NBA's most likely to hit the trade block after rumors circulated about him earlier during the trade deadline:
"Utah is playing the long game, which effectively attaches a ticking clock to 31-year-old scoring guard Jordan Clarkson. The Jazz have him under contract for two more seasons, but if the aim is to eventually reach championship contention, it's virtually impossible to picture that happening before his deal expires. The smart move would be another of those likeminded swaps involving a small step back now for a potentially a big step forward down the line. The Jazz aren't winning big with Clarkson, but they might eventually get there by flipping him for roster-building assets while also freeing up more minutes and touches for young perimeter players like Keyonte George, Collin Sexton and Brice Sensabaugh."
Clarkson is finishing up his fifth season in Utah, where he's posting averages of 17.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists as the commander of this team's second unit. However, as the development of the youth movement shifts to the forefront for the Jazz, it might not be much longer before we see the soon-to-be 32-year-old guard stick with this rebuilding roster.
It's difficult to part ways with a seasoned veteran and longtime Jazzman such as JC, but it may be what's ultimately best for the growth of the roster moving forward. We've already seen the Utah front office pivot off of guys like Kelly Olynyk and Simone Fontecchio to free up minutes for their emerging young stars, and JC might just be the next in line to suffer the same fate.
Buckley continues to discuss what the value would look like for a player like Clarkson, noting that a contending team searching for a spark plug off of their bench could be a prime suitor to acquire his services:
"Clarkson won't command a king's ransom, but win-now teams looking to beef up their backcourt production and bench should covet his scoring punch and secondary playmaking. If Utah moved him this summer, those buyers would get two full seasons with Clarkson, which should motivate them to give up more for him than they would at next season's trade deadline or during the 2025 offseason."
Clarkson's team-friendly contract makes it so that facilitating a move for him this offseason would be a simple process. He's making a combined $28 million over the next two seasons, allowing more cap-constrained teams to add him without making a ton of financial sacrifices. Effectively, it could bring in more value for the Jazz in a deal.
Over the final games of this NBA season, be sure to embrace the lasting moments we have of Jordan Clarkson, as his future with the franchise this summer starts to get a bit murky.
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