There’s no signs that Jordan Clarkson is about to leave the Utah Jazz.
For now, helping the Utah Jazz get out of a slump in the Western Conference of the 77th season of the National Basketball Association is one of his main goals.
Clarkson, who is set for an extension after his contract with franchise ends this year, said he is ready for more wins after scoring 32 points and leading the Jazz past the Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-114, at their homecourt in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night.
Clarkson looked like an All-Star player with his performance, but it certainly was not his primary goal.
“Right now, I’m not interested in that. I’m just focused getting wins. To try to keep this team to be on top of the West,” said Clarkson on Friday in a Zoom interview with scribes via NBA Philippines.
The Jazz were on a two-game slump before they took on the Cavaliers, losing to the Chicago Bulls, 118-126, and the Memphis Grizzlies, 118-123, over the weekend.
The Jazz now have a 21-23 record and sit at ninth place in the Western Conference and at no. 2 in the Northwest Division.
Utah seeks to become one of the top six teams in the conference advance to the playoffs.
For now, the Jazz, as one of the seventh- through 10th-placed teams, is in contention to qualify for the play-in tournaments.
The 30-year-old Clarkson said he is now pushing his game to a higher level.
“I have prepared for the season. And playing for Gilas in the FIBA window got me ready,” added Clarkson, referring to his stint with Gilas when they took on Saudi Arabia, in their final game in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers’ fourth window.
There are reports that Clarkson won’t stay long with the Jazz if negotiations for an extension do not work out.
But according to reports, a deal is expected to be worked out by Feb. 9, which is the deadline for extension agreements.
Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said in interviews that he is hopeful of securing a new long-term deal with Clarkson before he becomes a free agent this summer.