Predicting the Future of the Utah Jazz Backcourt

Jazz fans finally got closure on the 2024 NBA trade deadline. Despite the rumors of Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and Kris Dunn being moved, the Utah Jazz kept their backcourt intact.

So, what does this mean about the future of Utah’s guards? We know Keynonye George will be calling Salt Lake City home for the foreseeable future, but what about Clarkson, Sexton, and Dunn?  Let’s examine.

Jordan Clarkson

It seemed Clarkson would be wearing a different uniform by now, but that wasn’t the case. Plenty of playoff contenders needed bench scoring, and one can only wonder what offers were on the table.

Clarkson's play on the court over the last month took a hit, and when the rubber met the road, it may have hurt his trade stock. Even though he's still a Jazzman, his long-term future in Salt Lake City is still in jeopardy.

Utah front-loaded his three-year contract, making it much easier to trade down the road. However, the fact that Utah couldn't move Clarkson this year may mean he's still not in a team-friendly deal. His contract expires in 2025-26, and unless he's part of a blockbuster-type trade, that may be the year that Utah parts ways with its most tenured player.

Kris Dunn

Dunn not being traded indicates a strong possibility that the Jazz intend to offer him a contract at some point. Due to his expiring contract, there was no reason to keep him through the trade deadline unless those were the intentions.

Dunn would be a good fit to be Keynonte George’s backup in the future. He offers a unique defensive skill set that's in demand in today's NBA. It still remains to be seen if Utah commits to Dunn, but either way, the former lottery pick will be suiting up for a franchise next year on a multi-year deal. 

Dunn’a G-League's days are over, and congrats on reestablishing himself as a difference-maker in today’s NBA. Let's hope the Jazz are the team that's willing to make that financial commitment.

Collin Sexton

Sexton is a difficult one. Here’s a player who's emerged this year as a bonafide starting shooting guard in the league. Inserting Sexton in the starting lineup is a huge reason for Utah’s turnaround this year.

That said, Utah will be looking to pair Lauri Markannen with another All-Star, which could come at Sexton's expense. This situation will be a storyline to watch closely this summer.

Utah still has Sexton under contract through the 2025-26 season at a fair price of 18.5 million per year. It's a good spot for Utah. The Jazz can play the wait-and-see game here. It feels like a coin flip on whether Sexton is Utah's starting shooting guard of the future.

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