When the Jazz traded Rudy Gobert and then Donovan Mitchell, everyone assumed that the rest of the veterans would be on the way out as well.
Utah moved Patrick Beverley (included in the exchange for Gobert) to the Lakers, and the Jazz sent Bojan Bogdanovic to the Pistons. It was only a matter of time until valuable players like Jordan Clarkson, Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, and perhaps others were traded for young pieces and/or draft picks as well.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Lakers are all franchises that have been linked to Clarkson in recent trade talks. But in return, Utah likely covets a first-round pick.
This version of Jordan Clarkson is going to be wanted by every contending team.
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) October 23, 2022
During the latest episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, Clarkson’s trade value was front and center:
Nick Friedell: “Jordan Clarkson is gone, are you kidding me? Jordan Clarkson will be long gone.”
Brian Windhorst: “I suspect Jordan Clarkson is playing in a way that hastens that maneuver … He is totally playing with maximum effort … I think he would love to have an opportunity to go to someplace that is not in a full rebuild.”
Andrew Lopez: He might want to stay because he gets everything he wants down the stretch of a game. Everything was running through Jordan Clarkson [against the Pelicans]. It became the Jordan Clarkson show … He is going to enjoy this process while he is still there.
After unexpectedly winning three consecutive wins to start the new campaign, Clarkson tweeted that the Jazz could go “81-1” during the 2022-23 season. He was joking, but what happens if Utah does actually win more games than expected — and how would that impact his potential trade future?
man tough one tonight! 81-1 still on the table! lol lets gooo!
— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) October 25, 2022
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne has reported that Utah’s front office is “not in any hurry” to trade Clarkson and that they will “let them play” so long as they are playing well.
One report from The Athletic even noted that Jazz ownership may have even prevented a trade involving Clarkson:
“[Los Angeles] tried to land former Laker Jordan Clarkson from the Jazz before it was made clear that Utah owner Ryan Smith had no intentions of letting him go.”
Admittedly, that sounds a bit silly and dramatic for a player like Clarkson.
Shams is Shams, but…
Color me skeptical that Ryan Smith said “Sure, you can trade Joe Ingles, you can trade Royce O’Neale, you can trade Rudy Gobert, you can trade Donovan Mitchell, you can trade Bojan Bogdanovic, and try trading Mike Conley. But Jordan Clarkson? HANDS OFF.”
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) October 3, 2022
Zach Lowe, however, echoed these sentiments as well. Lowe argued that Clarkson is actually the “least likely” of the Utah veterans to get traded (via The Lowe Post):
“I’ve heard the same stuff that other people have reported that they’re just super reluctant to move Clarkson. They’re really fond of him for whatever reason. I would peg him as maybe the least likely of all these Jazz guys to get traded.”
Lowe also noted that Clarkson has shown improvement as a playmaker.
The playmaking of Jordan Clarkson tonight was absolutely marvelous. What a play. pic.twitter.com/JzJaySmgVN
— Cam (@Cam_S1990) October 22, 2022
He has already displayed significantly more of a willingness to pass than we have ever seen from him in previous seasons. He is averaging 5.3 assists per game, which is much higher than his career average (2.6) in previous NBA seasons.
But most impressive are his numbers on potential assists. The league defines potential assists as any pass that leads directly to the end of a possession (e.g. shot, foul, or turnover).
Clarkson is averaging more potential assists per possession (0.12) than he has in any season since his rookie campaign in 2014-15. For comparison: He had his career-low in this measurement last season.
Meanwhile, in terms of other changes: Clarkson is attempting fewer shots at the rim per 100 possessions than he ever has before, and his above-the-break 3-point frequency is currently at an all-time high.
But the reality is that, for all the highs and lows, your team is still on a wild ride whenever they hand the keys to the offense to Clarkson.
Just watch the following possession to see what that looks like:
This is as Jordan Clarkson as it gets pic.twitter.com/tBtDt5EogG
— Calvin Chappell (@CHALVIN2018) October 24, 2022
This suggests two possible outcomes here, and Utah’s fans should be thrilled with either option.
Clarkson isn’t the type of player who is going to prevent your team from tanking for someone like Victor Wembanyama by winning too many games. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year can remain on the team during their rebuilding efforts.
But if he keeps playing as well as he is playing right now, his value could return the coveted first-round pick in a potential transaction — and that is not something Utah was able to get when they traded Bogdanovic or Beverley.
