For weeks, it's been confirmed that the Utah Jazz will be sellers at the NBA Trade Deadline. NBA Insiders have even emphasized that they are ready to get a deal done now. For the first time, however, we now have a reported potential trade partner for the Jazz.
The Athletic's Tony Jones and Sam Amick reported that Jordan Clarkson is among the players the Denver Nuggets are targeting on the trade market, as their season has not gone as planned.
"As a result, the Nuggets have either expressed interest in or have had preliminary trade discussions on the following players: Chicago’s Zach Lavine, Washington’s Jordan Poole, Utah’s Jordan Clarkson, Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter, Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson, and Washington’s Jonas Valančiūnas."
They later emphasized that their primary target is LaVine. However, LaVine's been available for some time because the Bulls don't have much use for him. They're so desperate to get rid of him that he's been linked to the Jazz in the past.
It's not that LaVine is worse than Clarkson because that sentiment would be ridiculous. It's that he's paid like a franchise player, and he's never been that caliber of a player. LaVine is the bigger fish, but Clarkson is the easier to trade.
Nuggets would be a good home for Clarkson
Not even two years after winning a championship, the Nuggets are in a flux. They've lost valuable players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, and Jeff Green, and have failed to replace what they brought to their 2023 title team.
Clarkson does not replace what those guys once did for the Nuggets, but he helps fill the holes they left in his own way. One of the biggest issues for the Nuggets is the lack of bench production. They severely lack someone who can create their own shot outside their starters.
A more specific issue is that when Nikola Jokic goes to the bench, the team really suffers on the court. This flaw has reared its ugly head ever since the Jokic era took effect. This season, they've depended on Jokic more than ever, which has compounded the issue.
Clarkson's presence would help a lot with that. As one of the league's best bench scorers, Clarkson could help the Nuggets survive when the three-time MVP takes a seat. He might not be consistent, but teams take him seriously when he has the ball in his hands. He could be the offense's engine when Jokic sits, and his gravity would make life easier for Jokic and the other Nuggets' starters.
There are plenty of teams that Clarkson could improve with his presence, but a trade with the Nuggets is arguably the best fit both sides could hope for. There's plenty of speculation that Clarkson could be on a new team soon, but at least there's finally some smoke.