Predicting Jazz's Next Big Roster Moves Ahead of 2022-23 Season
Utah Jazz executive Danny Ainge has successfully traded both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, the greatest center and shooting guard in franchise history.
Jazz Nation, give a round of applause to the former dynamic duo for its many great accomplishments, and wish Gobert and Mitchell the best of luck with their new franchises.
With the bulk of Utah's fire sale complete, it's too early for Jazz fans to exhale. Multiple players remain in Salt Lake City wondering how to approach the upcoming season.
Let's examine what the future might hold for these veterans who have been linked to multiple offseason trade rumors.
Mike Conley
Conley has been the starting point guard for the Jazz since 2019. Amid the 'Trader Danny' rebuild, the Jazz extended a massive four-year contract extension to Collin Sexton, who also plays point guard.
Sexton is 23 years old, and Conley will turn 35 before the start of the 2022-2023 NBA season. A team in full rebuild mode will most likely hype the younger prospect, but Conley is due just over $47 million over the next two seasons, which is why a trade for his services remains a difficult proposition.
Factoring in Jared Butler, another Jazz point guard currently under contract, complicates this predicament even further. Time will tell how this situation plays out before, or during the season.
Jordan Clarkson
Clarkson is the most intriguing component of this new Jazz era. The former Sixth Man of the Year is a great player, and has been embraced by Jazz fans and the community.
Unlike Conley, Clarkson has a team-friendly contract and is due about $28 million over the next two years — but is 30 years old. Of course, age 30 is not old per se, but how will his age and tenure with the Jazz heading into a rebuild influence Ainge?
And, how will the restructure of the team influence Clarkson? We will wait to see how this situation plays itself out or seek the first ticket out of town?
Bojan Bogdanovic
Bogdanovic will be the least complicated Jazz player for Ainge to rectify as he is in the final year of his contract. At 33 years old, Bogdanovic will certainly be considered an attractive asset for a legitimate NBA championship contender.
His current salary will not deter suitors when factoring in his ability to flat-out massage the rock, aka shoot the basketball. Being a low-maintenance veteran is the final selling point to punctuate his resume. It seems truly a matter of time before Bogdanovic dons a new uniform.
Bottom Line
It's been an extremely stressful and uncertain off-season for Jazz Nation, but hopefully, there will be light at the end of this tunnel. Ainge has executed an abundance of franchise-altering maneuvers but seems quite a distance away from finalizing his vision.
As a long-time critic of trades, I hope Jazz Nation can survive the current climate and move towards an eventual NBA championship.
Follow James on Twitter @jlewNBA.
