The Washington Wizards have had a severe lack of success at the point guard position for a while now. They have struggled to get any consistent production from that position since John Wall tore his Achilles. This may be the trade to change that trend.
Jordan Clarkson recently declined an extension offer from the Utah Jazz and is set to have a player option this offseason. This means that he may look to leave the Jazz after this season, leaving a trade for the backup point guard as a real possibility.
Clarkson has been a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate since he arrived in Utah, even winning the award in 2021. He is capable of kickstarting an offense within seconds of entering the game.
He has played shooting guard for most of his career, but his size and playmaking abilities suggest that if he were to play for a team that already features a great off guard, he may be able to play the point guard position.
This is where the Washington Wizards come in. They have some young talent and picks that may interest the Jazz as they look to either rebuild or retool their team. They may just have the pieces to make this trade work.
This is a move that fits the Wizards win now ideology as they pick up a guard who can create plays for himself and others. This has been their biggest weakness since shifting to the double big man starting five.
If the Washington Wizards can pair this with a second trade for a big man or sign a backup center from the free agency pool/buy out market, this could make them a formidable team.
This could also allow Kyle Kuzma to take less ill-advised shots as there will be another sparkplug for the offense to circulate around as well. This could lead to a far more efficient offense for the Wiz.
This trade would also allow fan favorite Jordan Goodwin to play more minutes as he is a high impact player that is not getting minutes at the moment for some unknown reason.
There are definitely worse trades that they could make.
The Jazz also get picks and a raw prospect that they can develop in Johnny Davis. While he hasn’t been great, there has to have been a reason he was selected tenth overall in the 2022 draft.
If this trade gets done, the Washington Wizards could be looking at competing for a title this season with a hopefully revamped offense. A healthy Wizards squad featuring Jordan Clarkson is a scary thought for any team facing them.