The Utah Jazz will look to cash in on Jordan Clarkson this summer. One of the few teams that could help them do that in a trade is his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers. Trading him back to LA can also do right by Clarkson, who deserves it, as he has been nothing but loyal to Utah.
The reason why the Jazz should trade Clarkson is self-explanatory and has been explained to death: Keeping him at this point only gets in the Jazz's way. That's why his potentially getting shipped has been going on for almost three years now.
Clarkson knows this pretty well, too, as he's said as much. He knows he's better off elsewhere than in Utah's current situation. While he hasn't said he wants out, he would clearly understand if they traded him.
Regarding why the Lakers would want him back, it may not make much sense at first glance because scoring is not their issue. However, let's remember that they just got humiliated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs. One of the biggest reasons is that, despite having two basketball titans share the floor in LeBron James and Luka Doncic, they only had three dependable players besides them, and that did them in.
Clarkson wouldn't fix that by himself, but he is much more proven than the players they had past their five best players. However, he wouldn't be the main centerpiece the Lakers would go after if they became trade partners with the Jazz. Nope, the Lakers would want a different Jazzman who is just as available as Clarkson this offseason.
The Lakers would want John Collins
What really killed the Lakers in their most recent playoff series was how lopsided the series was regarding frontcourt talent. Jazz alum Rudy Gobert tore up whoever the Lakers tried to throw at him to the point where he put up his first 20-20 in the postseason.
That's where Collins comes in. Like Clarkson, he'll be very much available this summer, and he fills a gigantic need for the Lakers, even if he wouldn't necessarily fill all of their holes. He's much better than what the Lakers have in terms of traditional big men, and there doesn't have to be an explanation for why. When they weren't starting Jaxson Hayes, their tallest guy on the floor was six-foot-eight.
Clarkson would be added because he gives them guard depth and a dependable player in a playoff rotation, even if he, too, has warts. Because they're both expiring, the Jazz wouldn't necessarily demand the farm for either of them, but it's not like they would just hand them over.
The following trade should work between the two sides.
Lakers receive: Collins and Clarkson
Jazz receive: Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Shake Milton make the 2027 pick the Lakers owe the Jazz completely unprotected, 2030 protected first-round pick.
In this deal, the Jazz would get a young player in Knecht, would improve one of their draft assets, and get another one. They are doing the Lakers a big favor in this deal, as they wouldn't only address one of their roster's biggest problems, but they are also taking an albatross contract back for their troubles.
Other potential trade partners are going to squeeze what they can out of the Lakers' asset teat because LA is on the clock, and the Jazz won't be an exception to this. If the Lakers want to have a chance at a title and don't want to have to pay all that much to do it, the Jazz might be their best bet.
Trades like these demonstrate the value in having players like Clarkson and Collins on expiring contracts. What teams value these days is cap flexibility, so getting quality players who won't interfere with their payroll long-term is the ideal trade that teams like the Lakers should want to make.
By doing so, the Jazz aren't getting a ton out of Clarkson and Collins, but it just might be the best offer they could hope for.