CHICAGO --After a blistering 10-3 start, Utah's once promising season faded quietly as the Jazz struggled with injuries late and collapsed in a 37-45 finish.
Despite missing the playoffs for the first time in six years, there is hope and optimism in Salt Lake City where a delightful mix of veterans and a talented young core are poised to get Utah back into contention next season.
But there are important boxes that the Jazz management needs to check before plotting the path for the future. And foremost among those tasks is deciding the fate of impending free agent Jordan Clarkson.
Will JC go, or will he stay?
READ: Clarkson, Sotto available for Gilas at World Cup
After assuming the role as a full-time starter last October, Jordan has blossomed into an all-around offensive weapon, averaging 20.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per in 61 games.
The NBA's Sixth Man of the Year winner in 2021, JC is an indispensable, if not irreplaceable, piece for a rebuilding Jazz franchise that is moving on from the Rudy Gobert-Donovan Mitchell era.
KEEPING JC AROUND, THOUGH, IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE
Jordan, you see, has a player option worth $14.2 million in the upcoming 2023-24 season. He has until this June 30 to decide on whether to opt-in or op-out of that deal.
Jordan, according to The Salt Lake Tribune, was eligible for an extension that would have given him a fresh four-year deal with a pay scale that starts at $16.01 million in year one.
Apparently both sides couldn't agree on a new contract.
Which brings Jordan on the precipice of entering the free agency market for the first in his highly-successful career.
And when he crosses that bridge, the possibilities are limitless.
"He could easily make $20 million a year elsewhere," a blue chip NBA agent who spoke on the condition of anonymity told SPIN.ph.
And that's not just blowing smoke.
At age 30, the 6-foot-5, 194-pound Clarkson is still in his prime and his game continues to flourish on both ends of the court.
Most pointendly, he always elevates his game when playing in the next level.
A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
Proof of that is his 17.3 points and 45.4 percent shooting percentage per outing in the last three postseasons that he had been a part of.
Because of his previous ties with Los Angeles and Cleveland, the Lakers and the Cavaliers have constantly, persistently been cited in the rumor mills as potential landing spots for Jordan.
But, really, Jordan's NBA future is a blank canvas. He can fill any team's needs, whether it's stabilizing a rebuilding effort or solidifying an established contender's push for a title.
But the price has to be right.
Currently, Jordan is only the 112th highest-paid player in the league and 57th among guards. He is also just fourth highest paid in the Jazz roster.
And that needs to change. JC deserves a rich contract that reflects his fair market value in the open market. His agent representation will be kept busy pursuing that goal in the offseason.
As he heads off to the Philippines for the World Cup in August to play for Gilas Piliinas and honor his heritage, the rest of the NBA will be left to wonder.
Which team will win the jackpot and acquire the services of Jordan Clarkson?
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