During the Utah Jazz’s tanking seasons, it has been necessary that the decision makers evaluate the young players on the team with a critical eye as well as with a dose of patience and understanding.
Then there are players that have deserved to be evaluated based on their behavior, attitude, approach and willingness to buy into the team’s vision.
And then there is Jordan Clarkson. Obviously his on-court performance is important when considering his future, and obviously his demeanor around the team is important, but at this point the Jazz have backed Clarkson into a corner and if anything he deserves to be evaluating the team rather than the other way around.
Jordan Clarkson — A-
The longest-tenured player on the Jazz roster, who won Sixth Man of the Year in 2021, has slowly been reduced to spending the majority of the season on the bench watching as the team loses its way into the lottery.
Clarkson played in just 37 games this season (that’s after playing in 61 in the Jazz’s first rebuilding year and then in just 55 during the 2023-24 season). There are certainly some games that he missed due to dealing with plantar fasciitis, but there were certainly games he could have played in if it weren’t for the fact that the Jazz didn’t want him going off for 30 points off the bench.
Being away from the game that much has taken a toll on Clarkson. He is not as jovial as he once was, there aren’t as many smiles or jokes being cracked. Clarkson used to exude joy and everything was always “good vibes only.” But the tanking seasons have stripped the vibes from Clarkson.
If we were to evaluate Clarkson based solely on his on-court performance, the eye test would say that at 32 years old he’s not quite as nimble or crafty as he once was and that he settles often for isolation plays. Of course, he was also often flanked by less than stellar teammates and it would be hard to argue that he wasn’t the best option in many of those situations.
Despite the eye test, Clarkson had his best 3-point shooting season since 2020 and the last three years have been the best in his career in the assist column. He’s done exactly what has been asked of him, he’s created for his teammates, been a more vocal leader and has quietly soldiered on.
When the Jazz started tanking, Clarkson was in his prime. Now, Clarkson is entering the tail end of his career. He doesn’t want to lose games and he doesn’t want to be a locker room veteran. He wants a chance to win games and be valued for what he can do on the court.
But, for a number of reasons, the Jazz have wanted to trade Clarkson and in certain instances haven’t been able to trade him (at least if they wanted to get something that they viewed as valuable in return). Frankly, Clarkson is good for business. He hasn’t ruffled feathers, the fanbase loves him, he’s marketable and is universally adored.
Clarkson is heading into the final year of his contract. As an expiring deal, the Jazz might look to finally move him. But if they don’t, I’d be shocked if this upcoming season wasn’t the last we see of Clarkson in a Jazz jersey.
While there are players on the Jazz roster that could mature into their prime as the Jazz continue the rebuild and eventually get to a point where they want to win games, some of Clarkson’s prime has been wasted during the Jazz’s tanking seasons.
What more could have been asked of Clarkson over the last three years? And, what more should have been expected of him this season?
I’d argue that Clarkson would have been benched earlier if he’d done more and that if there is more that is expected of him, it will probably be from the next team that he plays for.
