Jordan Clarkson Breaks Silence on Trade Rumors, Wild Jazz Offseason
Trade rumors have been swirling around Utah Jazz former Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson all summer, but he doesn’t seem to be losing any sleep over it. Clarkson recently had a sit-down with Complex and opened up on his thoughts about the eventful offseason.
“I’m ready for whatever happens,” Clarkson told Complex. “If I’m in a different jersey in a week or tomorrow I get a phone call and I have to put on whatever jersey it is, I’m just trying to win and take whatever team it is to the next level to hopefully win a championship one day.”
The current Jazzman is truly on the bubble of getting traded before the season. Clarkson still has two years left on his contract at about $14 million per year. It’s not a bad contract, but I wouldn’t consider it team-friendly either.
There’s a case for keeping Clarkson in Salt Lake City this year. He’s become a fan favorite, and losing Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert within a month of each other is a lot for fans to process. The thought of having a familiar face that’s well-liked in the community could help with the sticker shock that Jazz fans have been dealt.
Also, teams might want to see how their circumstances develop over the course of this year before they make that monetary commitment for 2023. Utah's newly-acquired shooting guard Malik Beasley is more likely to be moved because in his case, the trade partner has the option to let the contract expire.
….but hold the phone.
There still may be a team that’s willing to take on Clarkson’s contract due to the special skill set that he brings to the court. He’s one of the best shot creators in the NBA and can keep an offense relevant while the starters are getting their rest.
Clarkson averaged 16 points per game last year coming off the bench, and he appears to have plenty left in the tank. There’s no doubt he can be a contributor to a franchise playing for a title.
The Bojan Bogdanovic trade to the Detroit Pistons may be a sign of things to come for Clarkson. On the surface, it appears the Jazz are cleaning house to create paths for their younger players to develop. If this holds true, then Clarkson's days will be numbered in Salt Lake City.
Jazz Nation will find out soon with the home opener at Vivint Arena less than a month away vs. the Denver Nuggets.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
