Insider Reveals Shocking Trade Market for Jazz G Jordan Clarkson

The Utah Jazz are stuck between a rock and a hard place with Jordan Clarkson.

Mar 6, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) goes to the basket past Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the trade rumors surrounding the Utah Jazz this summer, no exchanges have been made up to this point. A name circulating in the rumor mill for quite some time now is Utah's most-tenured player, Jordan Clarkson.

Clarkson is entering the second year of a three-year deal that will pay him 28 million dollars over the next two seasons. The Jazz front-loaded his contract by paying him 23 million in year one with the intention of making him a tradable asset in a rebuilding season. However, Clarkson is still on pace to start this year in a Jazz uniform, and according to Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune, the market for the former Sixth Man of the Year has been slow.

"Clarkson, meanwhile, needs a bounceback season after really struggling with his efficiency last year. As of now, there haven’t been any other interested NBA teams in trading for his services."

Jordan Clarkson is surprisingly receiving no interest on the trade market, per @andyblarsen

“Clarkson, meanwhile, needs a bounceback season after really struggling with his efficiency last year. As of now, there haven’t been any other interested NBA teams in trading for his… pic.twitter.com/9OGw7Yd9pu

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 25, 2024

This might be a shock to Jazz fans, but it's warranted, considering what Clarkson did on the court last season. Clarkson averaged an inefficient 17.1 points and dished out five assists a game this past season. His field goal % (41.3) and three-point percentages (29.3) are at a career-worst.

Clarkson has been the worst defender on a team that ranks last in the league regarding defensive rating. Utah gave up an embarrassing 120.4 points every 100 possessions, and with Clarkson on the floor, that number jumps to 124.1.

If Clarkson is rostered to start the season, it puts Utah in a position they weren't anticipating when they gave him the lion's share of his money in year one of his contract. So, Utah will need to play Clarkson to increase his trade value, but at the expense of giving their young players much-needed live reps. The plan was also to get an asset back in a trade for Clarkson, but that ship has sailed at this point.

This dilemma could be solved if Utah is willing to take on a bad contract in a trade, but that doesn't feel likely. Clarkson's trade stock could improve if his play improves on the court to start the new year.

Clarkson is only three years removed from winning the Sixth Man of the Year award, and he did show flashes during the 2023-24 campaign that he's still got some juice left in the tank by registering four games of 30 points or more. Also, as his contract gets closer to expiring, we should see a spike in the positive direction regarding his trade value.

A decision not to trade Clarkson now would come at the expense of developing rookie Isaiah Collier. The first-round pick shined in this year's Summer League and should still see minutes, but being the fourth guard on the depth chart isn't ideal to start the season.

At some point, this will work itself out, but for right now, the Jazz are faced with tough decisions they were not anticipating last summer when Clarkson was re-signed.

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