Jordan Clarkson isn't hitting NBA free agency after all. The veteran guard has reportedly exercised the $14.2 million player option on his existing contract, keeping Clarkson with the Utah Jazz through 2023-24 and perhaps beyond.

“I'm told Jordan Clarkson will exercise his player option to stay with the Utah Jazz for the 2023-24 season, according to league sources. This leaves the door open for the Jazz to extend his contract,” Sarah Todd of Deseret News reported on Thursday.

Clarkson, a known favorite of Jazz fans and owner Ryan Smith alike, averaged career-highs of 20.8 points and 4.4 assists per game last season while serving as Utah's primary ball handler. At 30, don't be surprised if Clarkson soon signs a multiyear extension that keeps him in Utah for the foreseeable future with annual salaries slightly higher than his last deal as the salary cap continues to rise.

Clarkson's opt-in takes one of the most dynamic, experienced perimeter playmakers off the free-agent market. The Houston Rockets, seeking to level up in the Western Conference next season at behest of owner Tilman Fertitta, were reportedly interested in signing Clarkson. Guard-needy teams armed with the $12.4 million non-taxpayer's mid-level exception would've been sure to come calling if his market proved cooler than expected, too.

Instead, Clarkson returns to Salt Lake City, where he figures to once again start in the backcourt as the Jazz look to build upon last season's surprising success after ushering in a new era by trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.