Meaningful Minutes For Jordan Clarkson Ahead?
By Chris Walton
Are you salivating at the performances of Jordan Clarkson in the NBA Summer League? I certainly am, and I have plenty of reason to do so. The scoring, speed, and play-making that he displayed made every penny spent on his draft rights (from the Washington Wizards) worth it. Clarkson will be entering his rookie season, but he is poised to make an immediate impact with the Los Angeles Lakers.
With only Jeremy Lin and Steve Nash at point guard, the uncertainty that comes with consistency and health from both boosts his chances at minutes. Confidence coming from the Laker organization was indicated in their waiving of last year’s starter, Kendall Marshall.
Why are we overreacting to the Summer League? Clarkson displayed the kind of poise and control expected out of a prospect with NBA experience. His play produced 15.8 points per game in five games on 42.4 percent shooting. He even showed off improved outside shooting at 42.1 percent from three-point range.
To add to his scoring output, Clarkson showed his ability to run an offense as a lead guard. He operated out of the pick and roll to attack the basket and create for teammates. Not only was he impressive there, but he showed explosiveness and good decision-making in transition. Much of his plays included him threading the needle to finish, or swiftly dishing passes to others at the basket.
Consider that the Lakers will rely on Clarkson’s type of game, as he will be surrounded by Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer, and Julius Randle. He is an ideal fit in the speed of today’s NBA. The quickness combined with his 6’5″ frame could serve rather formidable on both ends of the court. Defensively, he displayed the willingness to compete against opposing shooting and point guards. This is a great sign for Los Angeles. Clarkson’s ability provides the Lakers with versatility against opponents.
While Jeremy Lin and Steve Nash are far more experienced than Clarkson, new head coach Byron Scott may take the chance of developing him early. As it’s become an issue, Nash has not been able to string together an entire season of games since coming to the Lakers. To compound that matter, he will be going into the year at 40 years of age. Can you trust him to hold up an entire year? Would you want to? The gamble might be too great of a risk.
Jeremy Lin seems like a safer bet to start for Los Angeles, but his days with the Houston Rockets leave much to be desired. Last season, he lost minutes to Patrick Beverly and fell out of the rotation. On top of a reduced role, his contract of $8.7 million has weighed on an underwhelming stint after “Linsanity”. The combination of Clarkson and Lin brings the Lakers a different dimension athletically. The two players are similar in skillset, and could create some interesting lineups for Los Angeles.
The Lakers rarely draft productive rookies, and it seems that things just may change this season. By offering big minutes to Clarkson, it allows him to mesh with Xavier Henry, Nick Young, Ed Davis, and Julius Randle. These players will likely become the core for the Lakers in the future. Point guard is an evolving position in the NBA. By building confidence and allowing Clarkson to soak up the experience he needs, he can follow the path of other great players. Of course he doesn’t possess the level of talent of a Russell Westbrook or Stephen Curry, but these players also played big minutes as rookies. Quite similar to Clarkson, they were also in search of comfort as true point guards.
Jordan Clarkson must be allowed to just be a player. Whether the Lakers want him to see minutes at either guard spot, he must contribute. His game translates well to the NBA, and with so many questions at point guard, he has the opportunity to make some noise. Los Angeles has signed him to a two-year deal, so the team definitely believes in his talent. Now it is up to Byron Scott to put him in position, and Clarkson must believe in himself.