Jazz Urged to Prioritize Trading Jordan Clarkson & John Collins

While a few games remain within the 2023-24 regular season campaign for the Utah Jazz, many are beginning to look for what's to come this summer as a result of a critical offseason ahead. With potentially another top-ten selection on the way, an extension for Lauri Markkanen on the table, and an abundance of cap space in the books, it makes for some interesting incoming months for this front office.

However, we could end up seeing some tough decisions being made surrounding some of the current veterans this team has on hand. After all, the Jazz are still stuck within the rebuilding phase of their roster retooling, so an increased emphasis on the development and collection of young talent would be expected.

According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, the Jazz should look into deals involving veterans Jordan Clarkson and John Collins for draft capital this summer as a 'dream offseason trade scenario':

The Jazz probably should have done a better job at trading away their veterans at the deadline, as this team may still be too good to keep its first-round pick (protected 1-10, owed to Oklahoma City Thunder). Moving Clarkson and Collins should still be priorities this summer, although the former will fetch more in a trade than the latter. Asking for a first-round pick for Clarkson, 31, is reasonable after he's put up 17.4 points and 5.0 assists per game this season. A team-friendly two-year, $28.3 million contract is easy to digest as well. Collins, 26, is only going to return a first-round pick in the wildest of dream scenarios, as he'll have $53 million coming over the next two years. Getting a pair of seconds would be perfectly acceptable instead.

Moving off of these two guys would effectively take a big hit to what this team can provide on the offensive end in the short term but still frees up some substantial cap space for the next two seasons, along with freeing up some more playing time for both the existing and incoming young talent.

Keyonte George is looking like the starting point of this team for the foreseeable future, Taylor Hendricks is only improving with more time, and Brice Sensabaugh has begun to show an abundance of flashes as well. These guys, with the potential three new rookies who could come in next year, need time on the floor and an opportunity to put shots up. Clarkson and Collins, while productive players, inhibit that.

Clarkson was in his fair share of rumors across this past deadline, and we even had whispers throwing around Collins's name earlier as well. It wouldn't be a total shock not to see either of them on the roster in six months, but it comes down to which team around the league would be willing to facilitate a move for them.

Considering how Danny Ainge values his draft picks combined with the direction the Jazz are headed, a return of a first-round pick (and maybe more) for Clarkson would be expected. Collins' contract makes it difficult to see the same, but a team looking to acquire some depth in their frontcourt and a threat at the rim could throw some minor draft assets their way.

Needless to say, keep a keen eye on what the Jazz end up doing across the summer through this draft and free agency, as there could be some significant changes underway in Salt Lake City.

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