Jordan Clarkson, the flight risk
When the Utah Jazz traded to acquire Jordan Clarkson last December, they knew he was on an expiring deal and could abandon ship after just one partial season with the team.
They knew there was that small chance that they would lose him for nothing in return, but when the trade was made the hope was that they would at least get him for one playoff run.
Now, that might not even be happening. It’s very well possible that Clarkson has played his last game in a Jazz uniform. This would be a big blow to the team as JC became a valuable sixth man with his instant offense.
Joe Ingles was intended to be the sixth man this season, but floundered in that role with his buddy Derrick Favors being gone in New Orleans. He plays much better as a starter and alongside Rudy Gobert.
The Jazz kicked the tires on the thought of having Mike Conley be the sixth man.
However, for making over 30 million dollars a year and being traded in exchange for several assets, they probably felt like they were shortchanging themselves by limiting Conley to just a bench role.
Outside of Conley and Ingles, there was no hope for anyone to lead the Jazz bench. The Clarkson trade was a transforming moment of the season in that it allowed Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic to take a quick breather in games.
Before, they were being stretched to their limits and pulling out late game heroics to erase deficits put in place by the bench. The Jazz were winning, but they were barely outscoring opponents they frankly should have been destroying.
Once they acquired Clarkson though, it turned Utah’s offense into a juggernaut. They have the top offense in the league since acquiring the Missouri Tiger alumnus, and Clarkson really would have been a great help to the Jazz in the playoffs.
He was the reason the Jazz had a chance to win against the Denver Nuggets both times in February, and ditto for the game in Houston where Bojan hit that improbable buzzer-beater.
He’s a great presence to keep the team chemistry healthy and honestly has a chance to become one of the better trades in Jazz history if he keeps playing in Salt Lake.
It was always going to be hard to lose Clarkson after just a partial season, but it would be a double-whammie to lose him without any playoff action.