Jordan Clarkson opts into the final year of his contract, returning to the Utah Jazz

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson has elected to opt-into his $14.26 million dollar player option for the 2023-24 season. With this decision, Clarkson remains as Utah’s longest tenured and fourth-highest paid player on the roster.

Clarkson’s opt-in may seem as a surprise to some, as the 31 year old guard just came off of a career season, averaging 20.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in a starting role. However, this free agency market, with a limited number of teams holding cap space and new CBA regulations looming large, has left players like Clarkson without many large payday options. By returning to Utah, Clarkson now has an opportunity to negotiate a contract extension, something I’d suspect the two sides have already begun exploring.

From a basketball perspective, this move seems like a win-win for both sides. Prior to effectively shutting down the roster and tanking during the second half of the season, Clarkson impressed as a lead shot-creator. He had a career season facilitating the basketball (albeit, tapering off a bit after November) and featured a number of Clarkson-esque highlights, such as this one:

Unless the two sides choose to find a sign-and-trade destination, Clarkson will now return as the starting shooting guard on a roster poised for a playoff berth. With the addition of John Collins and a strong rookie core, the Jazz have an athletic and exciting team to watch next season.