The NBA season has begun to kick off, whether you want it to or not, as Jazz fans. Game one of the pre-season was set in the land of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, featuring 4th pick VJ Edgecombe’s Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks, highlighting one of the last pieces of the 1st seed Jazz nearly five years ago — I say as a cold shiver runs up my spine.
In case you were unfamiliar with the NBA landscape following the further destruction of the Jazz roster, Jordan Clarkson — the Flamethrower himself — headed to the City That Never Sleeps following a buyout, looking to add his offensive spark to a depleted Knicks bench. Now 33 years old and on his 4th career team, he’s on one of his last legs to reach the pinnacle of an NBA title despite Utah’s various attempts to construct a competitive roster after Mitchell and Gobert’s quiet exit.
Jokes aside, Clarkson 100% could have left much earlier in the rebuilding process; in the end, he and the Jazz chose to go on his own terms, even if it meant the team gained zero capital in his departure. The vet was owed $10.6M in the final year of his Jazz contract, but by then, his value had completely diminished, and no team was willing to offer a single penny.
With a fresh opportunity in a big market, JC did what he does best — getting buckets.
Clarkson chipped in 15 minutes off the bench for his contribution in the Knicks’ 99-84 win over the Sixers, finishing as the 7th leading scorer in the entire game. Sure, there were some outlandish shots taken (when hasn’t there been in Clarkson’s game?). Safe to say, Knicks fans were definitely pleased with the result from our Flamethrower:
Obviously, Clarkson no longer had a purpose as the Jazz transitioned to full-time player development and stockpiling draft capital. It’s still gonna be a weird season without our loveable spark plug. But hey, he sure as heck did embrace Utah with open arms.
