The Utah Jazz have made some franchise-altering decisions this offseason. Highlighted by the Rudy Gobert deal and with a potential Donovan Mitchell trade looming, the franchise is set for a full rebuild. While Mitchell and Gobert are the two players set to bring the largest return, they may not be the only players on the move. Many of the other solid role players on the Jazz players would not make sense to hold onto as the team is not focused on competing this season.
One of these potential players who could shake free is Jordan Clarkson. The 30-year-old has established himself as one of the best bench weapons across the NBA and won the 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year Award as evidence of this. Clarkson is sure to draw some attention on the trade market moving forward. Here are three teams that would be the best places for the guard to land.
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Jordan Clarkson: 4 best trade destinations for Jazz guard
76ers:
The 76ers have been starved for productive bench talent for quite some time. This has been the focus of the offseason for the team as they have invested in PJ Tucker, De'Anthony Melton, and Danuel House. While none of these moves are franchise-altering, they are solutions to the problem the team has faced. The team still lacks an impact scorer off the bench which makes this a perfect potential landing spot. Jordan Clarkson would be an excellent addition to the bench unit and be the best Sixth man the franchise has had since Lou Williams.
There have been whispers of the Sixers still looking to put their final touches on their offseason. This would be the exact type of move to put an exclamation point on the roster. The microwave scoring ability of Jordan Clarkson would be welcomed in Philadelphia and immediately elevate the franchise moving forward.
Mavericks:
The Dallas Mavericks had an impressive season last year where they made it to the Western Conference Finals. Luka Doncic continued in his superstar development and elevated the team along with him. As great as Doncic is, the supporting cast around him still needs to improve. Jalen Brunson proved to be a near-perfect fit alongside Doncic but elected to take his talents to the Knicks.
While Jordan Clarkson would not be nearly as clean of a fit as Brunson, he could still help pick up some of the scoring slack. Adding the Jazz standout to the Dallas core would add another intriguing offensive element to the team. The roster is already fairly accustomed to having defensive-minded wings that allow for Luka Doncic's isolation nature on the offensive side of the ball. Clarkson could fill this role perfectly with the second unit and provide the Mavericks with a scoring pop the team needs.
Lakers:
The Los Angeles Lakers have some major needs heading into the 2022-23 season. While adding a Sixth man likely isn't at the top of the list, you have to start somewhere. The Lakers had the third-fewest bench points scored last season and adding Jordan Clarkson would change this in a major way.
Jordan Clarkson showed some real promise in his early days with the Lakers. He was traded to the LeBron-led Cavs in a salary-cap sump move in his fourth season in the NBA. Now eight full seasons into his career, there is a more clear vision of who Jordan Clarkson is as an NBA player. Having a productive bench unit is a key to postseason success and Los Angeles would benefit from his scoring burst.
Bucks:
The injury to Khris Middleton was the ultimate reason for Milwaukee being unable to complete the defense of their 2021 championship. However, this should not distract from the other holes in the roster. The Bucks ranked dead last in the NBA last season in total bench points scored. So much of their offense is built around Giannis and having another guy to self-create would be beneficial.
The career 15.4 points per game that Jordan Clarkson averages would be a major help in this regard. Adding his ability to their second unit would provide a necessary zest to the team. Their current collection of bench players lacks the punch that Clarkson can provide. Grayson Allen, Joe Ingles, George Hill, and Pat Connaughton are all solid players but the unit lacks a go-to scorer. Making this type of change to the bench would provide Milwaukee with an interesting dynamic moving forward. As they search to add another ring, the Bucks should look at Clarkson as a potential missing piece.
It will be interesting to see where Jordan Clarkson ends up. It is tough to imagine the veteran remaining on the Jazz especially if Donovan Mitchell is moved. Look for contending teams around the league to view him as a major asset and for the market to heat up for him sooner rather than later.
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