1. Jordan Clarkson
As unpopular of an opinion as this might be, yes — re-signing Jordan Clarkson should be more important to the Lakers’ front office than landing any of the aforementioned players, even Kevin Durant.
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Clarkson has proved his worth to the team
as the best player on the roster right now, improving upon a surprise rookie season with an average of 15.5 points per game on a shooting split of .436/.352/.799 in his second year. His natural ability to score paired with great athleticism make him quite the weapon for the Lakers.
It will also make him a candidate for a big payday this summer — and other teams will be eager to steal him away from Los Angeles.
No matter the number, the Lakers have to make sure they retain such a valuable asset.
As mentioned before, Clarkson’s identity as a scorer is solid. He’s the perfect foil for backcourt partner D’Angelo Russell and the two look like they have the makings of a backcourt duo that can be elite for years to come.
In addition, the trio of Clarkson, Russell and Randle is making strides towards bringing the Lakers back into prominence.
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As the old adage goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” If the Lakers want to keep progressing towards a promising future, they need to keep a good thing going and maintain the trio of Clarkson, Russell and Randle for years to come.