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The Utah Jazz are currently in the middle of a full-fledged rebuild after trading star player Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers and defensive anchor Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Disappointing playoff exit after disappointing playoff exit have forced the Jazz' hands as they had come to the conclusion that the Mitchell and Gobert-led core had run its course. Thus, it is in the best interest of the Jazz to continue wheeling and dealing to add to their draft stash, and one such asset to dangle around the NBA is former Sixth Man of the Year, Jordan Clarkson.
Clarkson's production last season slipped a bit from his award-winning year, posting 16.0 points per game (vs 18.4 two seasons ago) on 41.9% from the field (42.5%) and 31.8% from deep (34.7%).
But when it comes to instant offense off the bench, Clarkson is still one of the premier talents in the league, and he can, for sure, carve out an important role on a contending team. With two years left on his contract on a reasonable $13.3 million annual salary, a trade for Clarkson should not be an overly complicated one to make.
But which contending teams stand to benefit the most from a Clarkson addition?
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have had an eventful offseason, acquiring scoring big man Christian Wood and the mercurial JaVale McGee to boost the supporting cast behind heliocentric superstar Luka Doncic. Unfortunately for the Mavs, they lost playoff breakout star Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks, and his shot creation will surely be missed.
Brunson absolutely tore up the Jazz in the first-round of the last season's playoffs, shattering his regular season averages, posting 27.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
It'd be somewhat funny if the Mavs sought the services of Jordan Clarkson to fill the void Brunson left behind.
The Mavericks, who surely value their draft capital so they can build further around Doncic, will be hesitant to part with a first-round pick for Clarkson, who has glaring defensive issues. But if the Mavs and the Jazz ever find a suitable deal that works for both parties, Clarkson will be a welcome addition to a team in need of shot creators outside of Doncic, Wood, and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers have seemingly been thrown into every trade rumor during the offseason, and this one is no different. The LeBron James and Anthony Davis-led squad are in dire need of perimeter shot creators and makers, and Clarkson can be the one to fill that gap.
A former Laker, Jordan Clarkson can take on the role Kendrick Nunn was supposed to fill last season. While Clarkson isn't the most elite three-point shooter, he will get easier shots playing alongside LeBron, and in turn, he will make life easier for the two franchise cornerstones with the spacing he provides.
The likeliest avenue to a return for Clarkson in purple and gold will be through a Westbrook trade, as the Lakers will be hard-pressed to cobble up salary to match Clarkson's without adding Westbrook's hefty contract.
Philadelphia 76ers
After the addition of 3 and D guard De'Anthony Melton from the Memphis Grizzlies, the 76ers' backcourt behind stars James Harden and Tyrese Maxey seems to be set, with Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, and Shake Milton around as suitable depth.
However, Clarkson could give the 76ers offense around Joel Embiid a different dimension, allowing the 76ers to survive even the non-Harden and Embiid minutes.
In a potential deal, the 76ers could offer Korkmaz, Georges Niang, Jaden Springer, and Isaiah Joe, in addition to some draft picks, to the Jazz for Clarkson. The loss of Niang could be the one that hurts the most, as Niang has shown he's capable frontcourt cover for Tobias Harris.
Nevertheless, Jordan Clarkson will give Philly another player who can create his own shot and create for others as well, giving the 76ers yet another lethal scoring option that could be the slim difference between yet another early playoff exit and a run to the Eastern Conference Finals.
