3 Utah Jazz players who definitely won’t be back next season

The Utah Jazz looked the part of a young team on the rise that had a chance of sneaking into the Western Conference postseason picture halfway through the season, but that quickly changed once the front office got its priorities in order.

Instead of making an all-out effort to scratch and claw their way into the playoffs, the Jazz elected to tear it down, shipping off rotational pieces like Kelly Olynyk, Ochai Agbaji, and Simone Fontecchio ahead of the trade deadline.

Since defeating the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 15 to improve their record to 22-20 through the first 42 games of the 2023-24 NBA campaign, the Jazz have won seven of their last 29 games. In other words, Utah essentially decided to throw in the towel at the deadline with an eye toward the future.

The forward-thinking franchise showed they are not afraid to zig when people expect them to zag and will continue to methodically work towards contention, with these three current Jazz players being next on the list of people who definitely will not be back next season.

3. Kira Lewis Jr.

Kira Lewis Jr. has failed to carve out a consistent role in the league since being taken with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans and is now playing for his third team this season in Utah.

Lewis was initially sent from the Pelicans to the Toronto Raptors as part of the three-team deal that sent All-NBA forward Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. Shortly after, he was re-routed to the Jazz in a trade for veteran big man Kelly Olynyk and 2022 lottery pick Ochai Agbaji.

He has averaged 2.9 points, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 rebounds across 7.3 minutes per contest in seven games with the Jazz. Considering a tanking team like the Jazz are struggling to find playing time for the young point guard, re-signing him makes little sense.

Lewis will be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason with a qualifying offer worth roughly $7.9 million, but it feels unlikely that Utah will extend the offer to him.

2. Talen Horton-Tucker

The Los Angeles Lakers once viewed Talen Horton-Tucker as a high-end prospect who showed flashes of promise, showing reluctance to include him in trades to upgrade the roster around superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis for players like Kyle Lowry. 

But that ultimately blew up in their faces. Horton-Tucker was sent to the Jazz for veteran point guard Patrick Beverley, showing how badly the Lakers misjudged his perceived value.

Horton-Tucker has been a decent contributor for Utah, averaging 10.3 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game since the trade, but has failed to live up to the expectations that have come with the three-year, $30.87 million contract extension he signed with the Lakers in 2021.

He exercised his $11 million player option for this season because he was unsure he would be able to receive a similar payday in free agency last offseason. However, he won't have that option available this summer, so the Jazz could let him walk, depending on their price range.

Still only 23 years old, Horton-Tucker offers intrigue as a young player with a versatile skill set. But a mutual parting of ways and change of scenery could be the best move for both sides.

1. Jordan Clarkson

Oddly enough, the Jazz were actively selling veteran rotational pieces ahead of the trade deadline this year but decided to hang onto 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson.

Clarkson exercised his player option for this season before reaching a renegotiation-and-extension deal that keeps him under contract through 2025-26, giving Utah additional time to weigh their options regarding his future, so the Jazz ultimately decided to hang onto the talented combo guard through the deadline.

However, the new deal could be viewed as a placeholder for Clarkson while Utah tries to find a trade partner rather than letting him hit unrestricted free agency at the end of the season.

Tony Jones, who covers the Jazz for The Athletic, recently appeared on The Bill Riley Show to discuss the state of the franchise and assess their plans for this upcoming summer. He seems to believe that Clarkson’s days in Utah are numbered.

“If I were a Jordan Clarkson fan, I would appreciate the remainder of this season. Because I expect his time in a Jazz uniform to come to an end this summer,” Jones said.

Averaging 17.4 points, a career-high 5.0 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game, Clarkson is the most desireable and realistic player the Jazz have to dangle in trade negotiations, considering how much Utah values their young core led by All-Star big man Lauri Markkanen.