Navigating tanking and rebuilding years in the NBA as a veteran player is difficult. It often means a diminished role, with the chance of playing meaningful basketball stripped away and no hope of winning games on the horizon.
Jordan Clarkson, who is the longest tenured Jazz player and only remaining holdover from Utah’s previous era, has had to take on more of a mentoring role and played in just 92 games across the last two seasons as the team has tanked for high draft picks.
“A little frustration can set in, you know, losing games and things like that,” he said. “But, I think I’ve been a pro coming in here, working hard every day, and trying to figure out what’s going on.”
But the Jazz could be headed for another season of at the bottom of the standings, and with four picks in the 2025 draft, next season’s Jazz roster could be even younger and even more dedicated to development over results.
If Clarkson remains on the Jazz roster, it will likely mean more of the same for him and require him to continue acting as locker room vet rather than as a rotational spark plug. It’s a role that Clarkson is willing to take on, but not necessarily the way he wants things to play out.
“Whatever is on my plate, I’m taking advantage of it,” Clarkson said. “If that’s being here and being a vet and doing that, do I want that? Probably not. But if that’s what I got to do to be a pro, coming here and work every day and help these young guys develop, that’s just what I got to do.”
Clarkson is not the kind of player or person that is going to be demanding a trade. That’s not in his nature, and frankly he doesn’t have the NBA clout to do so. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have preferences.
Though it might have been difficult to trade Clarkson in seasons past, the Jazz might have more options available to them this season with Clarkson’s contract set to expire after the 2025-26 season. Of course, they could also allow his contract to expire to have that money come off the books.
Of course, if Clarkson had his way, he would stay in Utah, remain on the Jazz and be a part of the team trying to win games again.
“I would love to be playing meaningful basketball, winning games,” Clarkson said. “Would I love to do that here? For sure, I wouldn’t trade that for nothing. But...you don’t know what’s gonna happen in the summertime or what’s happening next season. But yeah, having a chance to win, I know I could play at a high level and play meaningful games. I think it would mean a lot to me.”
At 32, Clarkson is likely nearing the end of his career. He’s in great shape and has maintained exceptional conditioning, but some minor injuries along with his age probably mean that he won’t be getting another large longterm deal. That being said, there are likely teams that would be willing take on his expiring deal or give him a short term deal as a player who can reliably create his own shot and score off the bench.
A lot of what happens with the Jazz’s roster, especially when it comes to the more experienced players (Clarkson, John Collins, Collin Sexton and even Lauri Markkanen) will depend on what happens in the draft lottery on May 12 and throughout the rest of the offseason.