There’s no such thing as a free lunch. In the NBA, there’s no such thing as a free acquisition. Even a free agent needs to be paid. Meanwhile, to make a trade, you’ve got to give something up.
The New York Knicks know this. They recently acquired OG Anunoby. This was a good acquisition, but the Knicks did have to rent Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett to the Toronto Raptors.
The Knicks shouldn’t miss Barrett. Anunoby is a direct replacement for him. With that said, they do seem to miss Quickley’s scoring punch with the second unit. Could they acquire Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz to replace him?
NBA Trade Proposal
Utah Jazz Receive: G/F Evan Fournier, G/F Quentin Grimes, 2024 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected – NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: G Jordan Clarkson
Meanwhile, the Jazz know all about wheeling and dealing. This team did a lot of maneuvering two summers ago. The Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the same offseason.
In return, the Jazz mostly received draft capital. As a result, they control a huge share of that market. Only a handful of teams have a better collection of draft capital than the Jazz. How will they use that draft capital on the trade market?
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz, New York Knicks Updates
We’re not sure. We do know that this is a key question. The Jazz have a lot to work with, but they’ll have to make the right decisions to build a contender.
Is this the right decision?
Why The Utah Jazz Do The Deal
Some NBA teams are future-focused. Others are concerned with the here and now. The Jazz are somewhere in the middle. They’re in the playoff hunt, but they don’t have any real title aspirations.
They should probably focus on the future. Young guards like Collin Sexton and Keyonte George have looked good for the Jazz this year. Moving Clarkson would give them each more ball-handling reps.
Meanwhile, Grimes is a young player with potential who doesn’t need the ball to succeed.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz, New York Knicks Updates
Still, the main point is to acquire a first-round pick. Adding Evan Fournier’s contract to the books doesn’t hurt either. Should the Knicks add Clarkson’s deal to the books?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
By contrast, the Knicks should lean into the present. They’ve got a competitive roster full of veterans. Meanwhile, they’re adding Clarkson here without destroying their reserve of assets.
He’s worth the cost. Clarkson is likely the best volume scorer on the market this year. He’s also developed into a capable playmaker. This is a recent Sixth Man of the Year winner – Clarkson can carry the Knicks’ second unit.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz, New York Knicks Updates
Meanwhile, they don’t seem keen to pay Grimes anyway. This pick is protected against disaster – barring an injury, it will fall to the Jazz. That’s a price worth paying for Clarkson – after all, the Knicks won’t get him for free.
