Insider Sketches What Jordan Clarkson Can Fetch in a Jazz-Knicks Trade
The speculation about what the Utah Jazz will do as we approach the February 8 trade deadline is heating up. Last week, Jazz beat writer Tony Jones of The Athletic reported that the New York Knicks were interested in Jordan Clarkson.
“In Clarkson’s case, the New York Knicks are among the teams showing interest."
However, the way the Knicks' draft picks are shaping up, they may not have what’s required to make it worth it for Utah to cut ties with Clarkson. Senior NBA writer Howard Beck of The Ringer shared his thoughts on this very matter when he joined ESPN 700’s The Drive with Spence Checketts.
“What do the Jazz want if they’re going to trade Clarkson? Is an expiring contract and a first enough? What kind of first? The Knicks have a lot of picks from other teams, but they’re mostly so protected that they're going to be low firsts and some that might even convert to seconds. The Knick's own first-round picks at one point would be an attractive piece because people are constantly waiting for the Knicks to stumble, but the way things are going right now I'm not sure you want to bet on having a Knicks pick either because those are going to be in the bottom third.”
Beck brings up some good points. Considering their talented nucleus, the Knicks are trending up and are a team with some staying power. So, setting aside draft compensation, does New York have any rostered players that could fit in Utah's plans?
There have been reports that Utah is interested in Knicks guard Quentin Grimes. Jazz fans should be familiar with this name, as it was tied to the Donovan Mitchell trade rumors in the summer of 2022. The former first-round pick is averaging 7.2 points this season while logging 19.9 minutes a game.
With Collin Sexton's emergence and the possibility of Keyonte George being the point guard of the future, it may be early to pull the trigger on a player like Grimes. Also, considering Clarkson is under contract for two more years, the Jazz can be patient when it comes to parting ways with their most tenured player.
Keep in mind that Clarkson's contract may be needed to help facilitate a much bigger deal down the road. Utah’s biggest need currently is at the small forward position. They could use an elite 3-and-D player to spearhead a defense that ranks 22nd in the league with a 117.1 defensive rating.
Guarding wings has been a weakness in Utah for some time now. Kris Dunn is its best wing defender, but he's only logging 20 minutes per game and is an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Simone Fontecchio and Ochai Agbaji are also rostered players who can fill that role, but an upgrade should be on Utah’s radar. That said, the Jazz are in a good spot and don't have to make any moves this year.
Even the players with expiring contracts could stick with Utah, considering that a playoff spot is up for grabs this season. The Jazz are in a unique position where they could be buyers or sellers moving forward.
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