Rumor Links Jazz Guard Jordan Clarkson to Lakers

What does the future hold for Jordan Clarkson?

It hasn't even been a week since the Utah Jazz season finale, and the free-agent rumors are already rolling in. The latest comes from Heavy Sports, dishing on the possibility of the Los Angeles Lakers making a run at Jordan Clarkson in free agency.

“There are teams that will look at him and say, ‘That is exactly what we need,’” one Eastern Conference executive told Heavy Sports regarding Clarkson. “Reliable scorer, smart player, bench or starter, good in the locker room, good presence. The Lakers really wanted to see if they could shake him free there. But Utah would rather get him to a new deal and if they are going to move him, do it later on when they have a little more leverage. You don’t have much leverage trading a free agent. I would not be surprised to see the Lakers make another run.”

I’m not sure if this one makes a whole lot of sense on the surface. With the rumors that Clarkson is seeking a deal in the $20 million per year range, the Lakers may be strapped for cash to get something done. 

According to Spotrac, the Lakers have $32.3 million in practical cap space to work with this offseason. That’s enough money to sign Clarkson, but that figure includes DeAngelo Russell, Dennis Schröder, Austin Reeves, Malik Beasley, and Rui Hachimura coming off the books. Let’s also not forget about the potential LeBron James and Kyrie Irving reunion that could take place this summer.

Whether Clarkson remains in Salt Lake City is still a mystery. The Jazz have the means to get a deal done, but is it the right move? 

The emergence of first-year player Ochai Agbaji and the potential of Utah drafting or signing a shooting guard in free agency makes the possibility of re-signing Clarkson murky at best.

Also, what would Clarkson’s role be on the Jazz moving forward? Would he remain a starter or go back to being the sixth man where he’s thrived in his nine-year career?

Clarkson will be turning 31 years old entering the 2023-24 season but still has a lot left in the tank. In 2022-23, he averaged 20.6 ppg while dishing out 4.4 assists, which were both career highs. With an 8.4 % salary cap increase and a weak 2023 free-agent class, Jordan most likely will get the money he’s seeking. 

Bottom Line

I've always loved Clarkson as a player but feel like his skill set is better suited as a reserve. One of the the best shot creators in the game that keeps the offense relevant when the starters are resting shouldn't be taken lightly.

However, from this point of view, it might be time to move on from the former Sixth Man of the Year, unless he was willing to come off the bench and sign for less than the reported asking price of $20 million. 

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