The Undeniable Impact and Uncertain Future of Two Jazz Guards

Clarkson and Conley arrived in Utah months apart and now are guiding a young squad. (via utahjazz.com)

It’s strange to think that Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson — both in their fourth season with the Jazz — outlasted former franchise pillars in Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. These veteran leaders are the bridge between eras and, in many ways, the soul of the current team.

And yet, their remaining time on the roster is uncertain. The team is rebuilding, and rebuilding teams generally look at age in the same way Leo DiCaprio might when deciding whom to date. Youth becomes an emphasis, and both Mike and Jordan are in their 30s.

But Utah’s approach to rebuilding has been a bit different than others. Blending their vets with younger players has led to a far more successful season than anyone expected. And while that success has affected their 2023 draft range, it has benefited the youth by providing more meaningful development in competitive situations. Consider what Walker Kessler has learned playing pick-and-roll with Mike Conley. Or the confidence Lauri Markkanen has gained playing in clutch moments rather than the wrong end of a blow-outs. The Jazz kept a playmaking point guard and traded for a solid center in Kelly Olynyk (before they knew what they had in Kessler) precisely so that the young guys could learn in a functional environment.

Conley has always been a playmaker, but his 33.8% assist rate is second best in career. Clarkson has followed Conley’s playmaking cue, and expanded his passing game when he very easily could have treated this season as an opportunity to unleash his gunner mentality. Both have adapted their games to help the team in impressive ways.

It’s harder to quantify their off-court value, but their effect on the culture is tangible. You see it in the way they talk and interact with their teammates, and more importantly by how players and coaches speak of them. The leadership of Utah’s veteran guards is certainly a big reason why the Jazz have enjoyed positive vibes and plenty of unexpected success.

Now, the hard decisions await. Put on a general manager’s hat, and a cold, steely mindset to go with it. There are logical reasons to move on from either player at this point in time. At 35, Conley’s interior scoring and defensive ability are trending down. Clarkson is 30, and while effective as ever, he has a player option next season, and could opt to become a free agent. The Jazz are also in a position where it would not take too much effort to drop in the standings and improve their lottery odds. While the buzz is that Utah does not want to make trades purely to enhance their lottery odds with more losses, there’s no reason that can’t be a factor if they find a favorable return for their veterans. And both guards do have value around the league, even if Conley’s suitor list may be limited by his age and contract. There is logic in trying to get value now for players that may not be a part of the team’s next phase.

While I do think either player could be traded in the next few days, their value to the team remains high. There’s a scenario for either player to remain a part of the next Jazz iteration.

Conley could transition to a bench role. Utah probably doesn’t have its starting point guard of the future on the roster right now. That could change this upcoming draft. Conley is under contract for one more year at $24 million, of which $14 million is guaranteed. That’s a hefty price tag for a backup point guard, but the Jazz don’t necessarily need a ton of cap space next offseason. The free agency group isn’t particularly strong, especially when it comes to players that fit Utah’s timeline. After that, Mike may be at the point in his career when he’s playing for exception money, and I’d be happy to keep him at that rate. While his age is certainly up there for NBA players, there’s also a pattern of star calibre point guards finding success even into their late 30s. Don’t be surprised if Mike is still a meaningful contributor in this league for some time. All of that aside, he brings immense value off-the-court, and that matters. There’s a reason the Heat still have 42-year-old Udonis Haslem on their roster. There’s also a reason that Mike Conley consistently is named one the most likely players to become a head coach. It’s not a bad idea to keep a player like that in the locker room.

Clarkson’s potential fit on the next version of the Jazz is a little different. He’s having possibly his best season ever, and at 30 he should remain very productive for the next few years. If the Jazz find their next key piece sooner rather than later, Clarkson could help that team compete. And while his next contract might surpass $20 million a year, that figure is not going to break the cap sheet, especially with the new TV deal that could warp salary numbers. Another favorable reason to keep Clarkson is that he’s comfortable in a bench role. His success as a starter has been awesome to see, but it’s nice to have veterans that can step back to smaller roles with grace when the time comes. And of course, JC brings a wonderful blend of calm vibes and fiery competition that this team feeds on.

It would be trickier for the Jazz to keep both past this season. One wrinkle to figure out is Collin Sexton’s trajectory. Sexton is only 24 years old, and by all accounts a piece of the future. But his fit is delicate — he’s a 6’1” shooting guard. He may very well move into a starting role at some point, but his long-term fit with Mike or Jordan are both iffy. With Mike, it’s a matter of running two 6’1” guards at the same time, an issue the Jazz already experienced with Conley and Mitchell. If Sexton and Clarkson are to be tethered together into the medium-term future, neither are natural facilitators. The ideal Sexton pairing is a larger guard who can pass. There’s also the matter of salary. At some point the younger players will enter their next contracts, and only so much money can be allocated to older players.

So we’ll see. Jazz fans should be thrilled to cheer for Mike and JC for as long as they remain on the team (and after, for that matter). It may be just a few more games, or it may be for years to come. Regardless of what happens, we should appreciate their impact. In many ways they are why this season has been so unexpectedly fun.

And they’ve been a huge part of the success the team has enjoyed over the last few years. Conley and Clarkson were played a huge part in Utah winning the number one seed, and it was fulfilling to see them rewarded with an All-Star selection and Sixth Man of the Year, respectively.

They also helped Utah maximize the value received in the Mitchell and Gobert deals. Conley especially was immensely impactful on Mitchell’s and Gobert’s development. He took the pressure off Mitchell so he could focus on efficiency, and he mentored the younger guard into more of a playmaker. The Conley-Gobert pick-and-roll attack and the duo’s insane on-off numbers were a big part of Utah’s regular season success over the past three seasons. Similarly, Clarkson’s bench production was exactly what the team was missing in 2019, and that trade preceded Utah’s rise in the league hierarchy. Had Utah not traded for Conley and Clarkson, would Mitchell and Gobert have grown into the same stars, and yielded the trade returns they did? Perhaps that’s one way to quantify mentorship and good vibes.

Calculated value out the window, they’re both good dudes that are also really fun and talented basketball players. It’s hard to not be happy with that.