After the 2022-23 NBA season, it was uncertain what direction the Utah Jazz would go, with the team playing a bit better than expected in the aftermath of the blockbuster trades sending Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell elsewhere.
Fortunately for Utah, things appear to be trending up for the franchise, with the team recently acquiring star forward John Collins in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks to add to a formidable frontcourt.
The Jazz now have Collins, Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler in the frontcourt, which is pretty intimidating and a solid start to build a perennial playoff contender in the Western Conference.
On Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, another move was made to keep one of their better players in Utah for next season, with guard Talen Horton-Tucker opting into the final year of his deal with the team.
Talen Horton-Tucker is opting into his $11 million deal with the Utah Jazz for next season, agent Rich Paul says
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 28, 2023
Although Horton-Tucker isn’t a game-changer for the Jazz, he’s a solid bench player who can light up the scoreboard on any given night.
The next order of business for the Jazz will be figuring out what to do with former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson, who has a player option with the team at $14.2 million.
There’s no question that Clarkson is worth $14.2 million, but he’ll likely opt out of his deal in hopes of signing a long-term contract with Utah or another team showing interest in NBA free agency.
The real question for the Jazz is whether the team tries to make a splash in free agency outside of trying to re-sign Clarkson if he opts out.
NEXT: Key Jazz Veteran Has Made A Decision About His Contract
