Over the last few days, rumors have surfaced that the Milwaukee Bucks have interest in adding a former Sixth Man of the Year to their roster via trade. Per Fastbreak’s Brett Siegel, the Bucks have expressed interest in acquiring Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz.
Clarkson is among the few remaining veterans currently on Utah’s roster amidst what has been an abrupt firesale this offseason. Royce O’Neale, Rudy Gobert, and Donovan Mitchell have found new homes over the past few months, and it is seemingly only a matter of time before players such as Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mike Conely Jr. join them as Utah prepares to rebuild.
Whether or not Milwaukee’s interest in Clarkson is exploratory or if the front office is determined to get the 30-year-old on the roster, the rumors are interesting. Clarkson is certainly a player who could be an impactful addition to any contender, and let us look at the pros and cons of the Bucks potentially swinging a trade for him before the 2022-23 NBA season begins.
The pros of the Milwaukee Bucks trading for Jordan Clarkson
The Milwaukee Bucks were plagued by a lack of bench scoring last season. Per NBA.com/stats, Milwaukee’s second unit averaged 27.8 points per game during the regular season, which ranked 27th in the entire league. Some of that can be attributed to Bobby Portis taking on a larger role in the starting lineup. However, it was clear that the Bucks would have benefitted greatly from having another go-to scorer off the bench, especially when Khris Middleton went down with an MCL sprain in the playoffs. To help lessen the concerns surrounding Milwaukee’s bench scoring before next season, the Bucks could make a run at Jordan Clarkson.
Clarkson has cemented his status as one of the NBA’s best reserves over the past three years as a member of the Utah Jazz. The guard has averaged 16.8 points per contest in a Jazz jersey over the last three regular seasons, and he even took home the 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year honors. The 30-year-old flat-out knows how to score the basketball, and he could be a tremendous addition to a bench that could use a boost offensively. Having Clarkson in the second unit alongside players like Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis would certainly make that group a more formidable unit.
Milwaukee’s Big 3 of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton would all benefit mightily by having another scorer like Clarkson alongside them. Rather than relying so heavily on the trio to score, Clarkson could take some of that pressure off and allow those three to conserve some of their energy for other areas. Having Clarkson shoulder some of that scoring responsibility would help the leading trio and other Bucks mightily.
It is also not controversial to say that the Bucks could use an upgrade at the backup point guard position after George Hill’s lackluster 2021-22 campaign. Although Clarkson is more of a combo guard and not a traditional point guard like Hill, he would fit the billing as an upgrade. Clarkson is capable of handling the basketball and putting plenty of points on the board off the bench, which would help the Bucks out tremendously.
The cons of the Milwaukee Bucks trading for Jordan Clarkson
Though Jordan Clarkson is an eye-catching trade target for the Milwaukee Bucks, especially when thinking about the team’s bench issues last season, there are also some reasons why fans may be hesitant to bring him aboard.
First and foremost, Clarkson is not exactly a traditional fit when looking at this Milwaukee roster. Over the years, the team prioritized adding players who can knock down 3-pointers while playing robust defense on the opposite end of the floor. Neither of those are strong suits of Clarkson’s, as he has sunk just 33.8 percent of his career triples and has never been known as a defender. The Bucks have always put 3-point shooters around Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Clarkson’s inability to hit them could hinder how well the duo would fit together. It has also been hard for players who struggle defensively to get playing time on a consistent basis in Mike Budenholzer’s system.
In addition to the fit concerns, the Utah Jazz’s asking price could also be somewhat steep for the Bucks. According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Utah believes that Clarkson is among the players on their roster worth a first round pick in any trade. Given that the Bucks are incredibly short on their first rounders over the next several years, they may be reluctant to meet that price.
Furthermore, the Bucks would also likely have to give up George Hill and Grayson Allen to match Clarkson’s $13.3 million contract for next season. While trading Hill would be reasonable, Allen did just have the best season of his NBA career and has proven to be a perfect fit with the Bucks. Due to his strong play last season, some may be reluctant to include moving Allen, who was a full-time starter for the Bucks until the postseason. The addition of a first round pick in that proposal makes a trade even more questionable.
The verdict on if the Milwaukee Bucks should trade for Jordan Clarkson
Despite the fit concerns with Jordan Clarkson, he should certainly be viewed as a desirable trade target for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks need a player like Clarkson who can check in and score the basketball in bunches off the bench. While most of his points likely will not come from behind the arc, Clarkson could still be just what the Bucks need to prevent their offense from going stagnant at times, as he can get hot in a hurry. Rather than being so dependent on the Big 3 to carry the load offensively, Clarkson could help strengthen the Bucks’ offense. Having a player like that could be especially pivotal in the postseason, where the Bucks have been known to go cold at times. Simply put, the Bucks could fix a major weakness in their bench scoring by adding one of the best reserves in the NBA.
Defensively, the concerns would certainly be there for Clarkson. While he may not be the strongest individual defender, that might not hurt the overall team. After all, the Utah Jazz’s defensive rating ranked third in the league during the 2020-21 season and tenth last season, per NBA.com/stats. The Jazz were able to thrive defensively even with Clarkson in the fold, and the Bucks undoubtedly do the same with strong defenders like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez in the mix. The Bucks know they would not be fortifying their defense by adding Clarkson, as it would be more about improving their offense.
The difficult aspect of any Clarkson trade is trying to decipher an adequate trade package for both sides. The most logical offer would seemingly be Grayson Allen, George Hill, and possibly a second round pick or two, but it might not be that easy. If the Jazz do indeed want a first rounder, that may complicate things. The Bucks are also high on Allen, so they may be reluctant to move him. Could Jordan Nwora somehow fit into this situation? The forward is still a restricted free agent, and as the Jazz look to stock up on young talent, the 24-year-old could be viewed as a desirable piece in a sign-and-trade. However, that is just speculation. If the Bucks can get Clarkson without giving up the farm, they absolutely should pursue the opportunity.
Stay tuned to see if the Milwaukee Bucks do pull off a trade for Jordan Clarkson this offseason.