3 contenders who make sense as a trade partner for Jazz's Jordan Clarkson

Jordan Clarkson will likely stay with the Utah Jazz for some time. Granted, his current contract is only two years long, but it would be such a shame to see a player whose skillset clearly should be on a contender play for a team that no longer needs him.

Despite Clarkson's contract being pretty cheap, all things considered, teams at the moment are afraid of acquiring someone who could put them in NBA's second tax apron.

However, priorities change throughout the season, and the NBA's salary cap is projected to increase over the next few years. If Clarkson plays well enough for the Jazz, there could be a scenario where he creates a market for himself.

Of course that sounds like unreasonable optimism, and the Jazz likely won't get much for him at this point, but there are multiple contenders out there who may ultimately say, "Screw it" and bring Clarkson aboard.

1. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have had a pretty solid offseason, knowing their aspirations and how last season was cut short. Adding Delon Wright, Taurean Prince, and Gary Trent Jr. gives Milwaukee newfound depth they did not have during the 2023-24 season.

So, if they could add Clarkson into their mix, that would make their offseason an all-around home run. There would be just one problem.

The Bucks are currently above the NBA's second tax apron, meaning that they can't aggregate the contracts of expendable players, i.e., Pat Connaughton. Still, they are only just barely above it, which means to get below it, they would have to trade one or two of their expendable players.

If the prospect of acquiring Jordan Clarkson comes up, is anyone in Milwaukee really going to miss the likes of AJ Green or Andre Jackson Jr.?

Should they get below it, they could get Clarkson using the likes of primarily Connaughton along with other players on smaller contracts to make a trade work. If they can, the Bucks would strengthen the chances of winning another title with another hole filled.

2. Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets added some depth this offseason, but unlike Milwaukee, they lost one of their starters, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, which could prove to be a problem since they are only one year removed from a title.

Clarkson is not the same player that Caldwell-Pope is and for good reason. However, while the Nuggets try to sort out that situation, what proved to be their downfall during the 2024 NBA Playoffs was their lack of bench help.

Losing Bruce Brown and Jeff Green proved to hurt them as a unit. Again, Clarkson does not necessarily replace what they brought, but he does give them bench scoring, which can make up for what they lost in those two.

Trading for Clarkson without compromising the rotation would primarily include Zeke Nnaji along with other smaller contracts, which could definitely make a trade work.

The Nuggets have focused on bringing in help to fill out their rotation with Dario Saric and esteemed Jazz alum Russell Westbrook. They could very well prove to help, but Clarkson is a much surer bet at this stage of his career than those two are.

3. Memphis Grizzlies

It is a shame that people have forgotten about the Grizzlies because they had all the makings of a contender until the season from hell wrecked them with countless injury after injury. Now that the gang is back together, Clarkson could take another step forward.

The Grizzlies definitely have a culture to go with the impressive talent on that roster. Another scorer like Clarkson would only help their chances of making another run in the postseason.

They, too, have a plausible offer for Utah for Clarkson, though it would require the Jazz to give up some financial flexibility. A deal would likely include John Konchar, who has three years left on his deal, along with Derrick Rose and some other small contracts to make a trade work.

The Grizzlies want to prove that last season was a mere anomaly and that they have every intention of being among the West's elite. Clarkson's experience as a valued bench scorer on a contender could serve them well if they want to make a statement.

The saddest part about all of this is that the best team for Clarkson would be the Minnesota Timberwolves. They are a contender out west who could use another scorer, and to top it all off, they feature several of Clarkson's former Jazz teammates (Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Joe Ingles, Nickeil Alexander-Walker).

Not only would Clarkson fit what the team needs, but his familiarity with those players could also help his game fit more seamlessly in their rotation. Alas, Minnesota is very deeply in the NBA's second tax apron, so a trade would requires moving parts that they probably wouldn't want

While it seems like Clarkson may stick around for the next two years, he still holds enough appeal as a player that it can't be ruled out that no NBA contender would want him.