NBA
Jazz star Jordan Clarkson ‘would welcome’ trade to Knicks
Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson would reportedly welcome a trade to the New York Knicks. This latest NBA trade rumor comes from Jazz beat writer Tony Jones of The Athletic, who was asked if Clarkson would be open to playing in the Big Apple.
“I can tell you just from my conversations with people around the situation, I think that Jordan [Clarkson] would welcome a trade [to the Knicks] if that’s how it would go down,” he said on ESPN 700’s The Drive with Spence Checketts.
“There’s another team out west he would welcome a trade to. I’m not going to say the name of that team and the reason why I’m not going to say the name of that team is because there’s very little chance of that trade happening.”
Jordan Clarkson would welcome a trade from the Jazz to the Knicks, per @Tjonesonthenba (https://t.co/kp5QkMkk65).
Clarkson’s agent, Rich Paul, met with the Knicks earlier this week to settle previous tensions between Klutch Sports and the organization. pic.twitter.com/VtMcbRhrMD
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 6, 2024
On Dec. 30, the Knicks traded RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second-round draft pick to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn.
Anunoby went +111 through his first five games with the Knicks. He became the first player in NBA history to post a plus/minus above 100 in his first five games with a franchise.
If the Knicks were to add Clarkson, it would probably help bolster the contender’s backcourt.
Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson wants to play for New York Knicks, recorded first career triple-double on Jan. 1
Clarkson, 31, was selected 46th overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2014 NBA Draft out of the University of Missouri. The 6-foot-3 guard was then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for cash.
He has played for three NBA teams across his 10-year career. Clarkson spent four seasons (2014-2018) with the Lakers, three seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers (Feb. 2018-Dec. 2019), and his past five (since 2019) with Utah.
Furthermore, Clarkson has made 19 starts in 41 games with the Jazz this season. The Missouri product is averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, a career-high 4.9 assists, and 30 minutes per game.
However, he is also shooting career lows of 41.7% from the field and 29.1% from 3-point range.
Jordan Clarkson secures his first career triple-double and becomes the first Jazz player with a triple-double since Carlos Boozer on 2/13/2008. pic.twitter.com/iItFL9Nwen
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2024
In Utah’s 127-90 win over the Dallas Mavericks on New Year’s Day, the guard recorded his first career triple-double, notching 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in 28 minutes off the bench.
It was the first triple-double by a Jazz player in a regular-season game since Carlos Boozer against the Seattle SuperSonics on Feb. 13, 2008, a stretch of 1,256 games.
Clarkson’s triple-double was also the first in more than 40 years for a Utah reserve, dating back to Feb. 5, 1983, when Mark Eaton notched 12 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 blocks versus the Denver Nuggets.
During the 2023 offseason, Clarkson signed a two-year, $28.37 million contract extension with the Jazz. His new deal begins in 2024-25. He is currently making $23.48 million this season.
This is part of the four-year, $51.52 million deal he inked with Utah in November 2020.