NBA free agency 2025 has taken yet another twist.
The Utah Jazz have finalized a contract buyout with veteran guard Jordan Clarkson, Shams Charania of ESPN reported Monday. The move now clears the way for Clarkson to potentially sign with a contender as a free agent, Charania adds.
Clarkson, now 33 years old, was the longest-tenured player on the Jazz roster, having been with the team since 2019. He won NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2021 after averaging 18.4 points per game off the bench. Clarkson continues to be an excellent second-unit scorer as well and put up 16.2 points in a reduced role of 26.0 minutes per game for the Jazz last season.
Originally, Clarkson was slated to make $14.3 million next season. But he is now giving up at least a chunk of that in order to part ways with the Jazz and sign with a team that has a better chance of competing in 2025-26.
For Utah, this marks the latest clear-out move for their franchise as they look ahead to a total rebuild. Over the weekend, they also traded fellow guard Collin Sexton to an Eastern Conference team in a fairly surprising deal. Thus, Keyonte George (21) and Isaiah Collier (20) are set to take over in the Jazz backcourt next season.
As for Clarkson, he should have no shortage of options on the open market. As a 36.2 percent career three-point shooter with secondary playmaking capabilities as well, Clarkson has had some notable suitors in the past (such as this prominent team in the East).
