It’s no secret that the Utah Jazz would like to get rid of Jordan Clarkson. He doesn’t fit the team’s current schedule, and they want to see what they have in some of their young guards like Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier.
Alas, as Tony Jones said itClarkson doesn’t really have a market, which means the Jazz may have to take on that contract in full. However, title contenders being pushed to the point of desperation is a story as old as time, and a Clarkson trade can’t be completely ruled out.
One team that fits that profile is Clarkson’s former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, from whom the Jazz originally acquired Clarkson. Sports Illustrated’s Matthew Schmidt proposed the following exchange that would return Clarkson to “Earth.”
Cavalier receives: Clarkson
Jazz receives: Isaac Okoro (signed and exchanged)
Schmidt briefly explained why the Jazz would make this trade for Okoro.
“The Jazz are one of the few teams that have expressed interest in Okoro, who generated very little buzz as a restricted free agent. They would certainly like to trade Clarkson for a younger player, so this package could intrigue them.”
He went into more detail about why the Cavaliers would do this, but that’s a good summary of why Utah would accept a deal like this.
To cut to the chase, yes, they would. Earlier in the offseason, the Jazz were considered the ideal destination for OkoroIt’s not hard to see why.
The funny thing is, for Utah, this trade is a no-brainer. At 23, Okoro fits a need and their timeline. Even though his three-point shot isn’t quite there yet, the Jazz can afford to see if he can become a two-way wing because they have time to do so.
To get it for Clarkson, who they don’t need and whose skills are better used on a suitor, they’d be crazy to pass up that for their sake and hers.
This deal kills two birds with one stone. They get rid of a player they don’t need for a player they do need. On the Cavaliers’ side, it’s a little harder to say if this is the best trade for them.
Why add Clarkson when they already have a player who plays his role effectively in Caris LeVert? He’s already their leading scorer off the bench, which is the perfect role for Clarkson. While it could be argued that having two of these players is better than one, basketball isn’t played in a vacuum, so there’s no guarantee they can coexist.
But hey, that would be the Cavaliers’ problem in this scenario, not the Jazz’s.
Grade: A+ (for Jazz)
