NBA Rumors: Jazz 'Super Reluctant' to Trade Jordan Clarkson amid Lakers Buzz

The Utah Jazz are one of the NBA's most surprising teams at 4-1 and are reportedly determined to hold onto at least one veteran member of their core.

ESPN's Zach Lowe said the Jazz are currently "super reluctant" to part ways with guard Jordan Clarkson.

“I’ve heard the same stuff that other people have reported that they are just super reluctant to move Clarkson," Lowe said on his Lowe Post podcast. ”They’re really fond of him for whatever reason so I would peg him as the least likely of all these Jazz guys to get traded.”

Clarkson is off to a stellar start to the 2022-23 season, averaging 18.8 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game while appearing as a regular starter for the first time in seven years. He's currently shooting a career-high 42.9 percent from three-point range.

While Clarkson is playing the best basketball of his career, it's hard to find a logical reason behind the front office's reluctance to trade him. Utah started a full-scale rebuild this offseason, jettisoning stars Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland) and Rudy Gobert (Minnesota) in exchange for hauls that included mismatched veterans and future first-round picks.

Clarkson is a 30-year-old sixth man who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's old enough to be out of his playing prime by the time the Jazz are capable of competing again and enough of an immediate-impact player that contenders would likely give up a protected first-round pick in trade talks.

In other words, Clarkson is the exact type of player rebuilding franchises seek to move.

It's possible, if not likely, the Jazz's front office softens on their stance as the season progresses. Utah isn't going to keep winning games at this rate, and Clarkson's performance will eventually regress back to his career mean.

When that happens, there will be any number of scoring-hungry teams looking to make a deal.