Jordan Clarkson's surprising decision to forego free agency and pick up the $14.2 million player option on his contract for next season immediately portended a subsequent development. Less than 24 hours later, the Utah Jazz guard is on the verge of signing a multi-year extension to keep him in Salt Lake City for the foreseeable future.

Clarkson and the Jazz are nearing a three-year contract extension, according to league insider Marc Stein.

“Jordan Clarkson and the Jazz are in active discussions on a three-year contract extension, league sources say. Clarkson this week picked up his $14.3 million player option for next season with Utah rather than test free agency,” Stein wrote on Twitter Friday morning.

Clarkson enjoyed the best season of his career in 2022-23, averaging personal bests of 20.8 points and 4.4 assists per game while serving as Utah's primary ball handler. He posted a true shooting percentage just slightly below league average and considerably upped his free throw rate, too, encouraging progress for a veteran guard broadly known as an inefficient chucker for the majority of his career.

A favorite of bother Jazz fans and owner Ryan Smith, Clarkson will once again start at point guard in 2023-24 for a Utah squad coming off a surprisingly strong season after trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert last summer. The team added John Collins via trade earlier this week, too, bolstering a frontcourt that already included All-Star Lauri Markkanen, rookie revelation Walker Kessler and intriguing lottery pick Taylor Hendricks.

Expect Clarkson to put pen to paper on an extension soon. He's finally found a home with the Jazz, and Utah is clearly comfortable with the prospect of Clarkson continuing to serve as a steadying veteran presence both on and off the floor as its rapid rebuild continues.