Nowadays, when people associate "Utah Jazz" with "trade," they think they will be sellers at the trade deadline. That appears to be the case, but that doesn't mean they won't try to add someone who could be part of their long-term future.
Last night, the Jazz were linked to a potential trade partner: the Denver Nuggets. The Athletic's Tony Jones and Sam Amick reported that the Nuggets have some interest in Jordan Clarkson, though he isn't their primary target. For now, the player they're primarily targeting is Zach LaVine.
Even if LaVine is better than Clarkson, Clarkson is much cheaper, which might make him easier to acquire. If the Nuggets can't reach an agreement with the Bulls, they could focus their attention on Clarkson, and the Jazz could take advantage of a rare situation. Denver has dangled one player in talks: Michael Porter Jr.
For everything the Jazz has going for them, they lack a wing scorer—and a young one at that. Porter is not necessarily super young, but he's a champion and might rise to another level if given a bigger role with the Jazz. He could be the right guy to pair up with Lauri Markkanen to make the Jazz the fierce playoff contender they hope to construct long-term.
While it's not like Porter's a massive disappointment as a player, guys like Markkanen and Collin Sexton have found new wrinkles in their game since playing under Will Hardy. Porter could have a similar level to his game if under the same tutelage.
Everyone and their mother knows that the Jazz don't need Clarkson, and the Nuggets are desperate to get the help they need to win another title. Even if Clarkson isn't their preference, there is a scenario where they could agree to a trade that would Porter over to Utah.
How the Jazz and Nuggets could agree to a trade
A Clarkson-for-Porter trade does not work straight-up because of how much more Porter makes than Clarkson. That's why other players would have to be involved, but that could benefit the Jazz. That same report confirmed that Zeke Nnaji, who the Jazz could target, is available.
The following trade could hit three birds with one stone for the Jazz if they have interest in Porter.
Jazz receive: Porter, Nnaji
Nuggets receive: Clarkson, John Collins
If there's one other player for whom the Jazz don't have much use, despite how impressively he's played, it's Collins. The Nuggets could certainly use a potential back-up center for Jokic, and Collins could fill that hole. He's also versatile enough to be their starting four next to Jokic, then can back him up when the Joker hits the bench.
Combine that with Clarkson, one of the league's best bench scorers, and suddenly the Nuggets' weak second unit becomes formidable. With Porter, the Jazz take a flyer on a wing scorer who may not have reached his full potential and get rid of two players they don't want on the team anyway.
And the best part is, no draft capital is involved from either side. The Jazz will likely try to trade Clarkson or Collins from now until February. In a scenario like this, it might be the best they can hope for.