Offense
Known as a scoring guard, Clarkson hasn’t disappointed in that department since being traded to the Jazz.
Last season he averaged 16.8 points per game coming off the bench for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and previous to being traded he gave them 14.6 points per game in just a quick 23 minutes.
The part that worried me is that he had never contributed to a playoff team in his short career. He was part of the dumpster fire the Lakers had with Kobe Bryant‘s exit and all the shenanigans of rebuilding. He was part of the Cavaliers NBA finals run with LeBron James in 2018, but got benched during the significant portion of the playoffs.
And the Cavaliers since LeBron left have been dreadful. I knew Clarkson would be able to get buckets as a Jazzman, but I worried if his efficiency would be above average or if we were getting another Trey Burke.
He averages 14.4 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field as a Jazzman, good enough for fourth best among his teammates. Although his three point shooting could stand to improve (33 percent), the Jazz offense hums like a bee when he is on the court (seven points per 100 possessions better than when he sits).
An underrated part of Clarkson’s game that I wasn’t aware of is his passing instincts. No, he’s not John Stockton or anywhere close, but he’s able to be a helper in the Jazz’s blender offense and find open teammates.
He was praised by Cavs coach John Beilein for remodeling his shot selection, and that has carried over to Utah. He used to take over 20 percent of his shots from 10 feet to the three point line back in his Laker days. Now he takes 77 percent of his shots either from the three point line or at the rim.
His confidence and poise is something the Jazz bench desperately needed, and was on display in his very first minutes as a Jazzman. When the shot clock is winding down he’s willing to create a shot out of isolation thanks to his underrated ball handling skills.
Grade: B+