Lakers: It’s Time to Address Jordan Clarkson’s Sophomore Slump

Lakers second year man, Jordan Clarkson, is a restricted free agent next season and now is the time for him to earn his next contract

Much of the uproar this season has surrounded Byron Scott and his mishandling of young players the likes of Tarik Black, Julius Randle but most importantly, second overall pick, D’Angelo Russell.

However, one of the prime beneficiaries of Scott’s ineptitude has been Jordan Clarkson, and not in the way that you’d think. This is to say, Clarkson’s unimpressive sophomore season has relatively flown under the radar due to the bigger stories involving Scott, Russell and even Kobe Bryant.

Emerging as a formidable player late last season, after the Lakers guards were completely decimated by injury, Clarkson gave fans hope that their point guard of the future had finally arrived. This hope turned into confusion when Los Angeles decided to draft Russell, another point guard, over the likes of Jahlil Okafor or Kristaps Porzingis, who would have filled the need at the center position.

Clarkson addressed the ongoing questions to whether his outstanding rookie season was just a fluke with impressive play to start the season, but has since entered his sophomore slump.

Despite a significant increase in Clarkson’s minutes this season, which has resulted in a slight increase in scoring and rebounds per game, when looking at his per 36 minutes numbers, he’s actually regressed this season.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/2/2016.

This is disconcerting for one, because increased usage rating to usually signals increased production, or at least improvement, in young players. Second, when you realize that Clarkson has the skill set to excel at both ends of the floor but seems to lack the passion or drive to actually do so.

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For example, his athleticism sets him in a class that among the likes of explosive point guards Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook, but his mild demeanor is what negatively sets him apart.

On offense, Clarkson will often hit a few shots, only to be discouraged by his next miss. At times, you may even forget that he’s even on the floor at all, as he settles to reside in the corner watching an isolation taking place on the other side of the floor, avoiding stepping on anyone’s toes.

Most frustrating is his inability to stick with opposing guards, especially when you consider Byron Scott‘s “devotion” to defense. Whenever he gets screened, he constantly is forced to trail his man on nearly every possession, putting the team in horrible defensive position.

Yes, this also has to do with how his help defender hedges the screen, giving him time to recover, but it’s magnified when you realize how long it takes him to get around screens.

If you’re still confused, just watch how Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook guard the pick and roll compared to D’Angelo Russell or Jordan Clarkson. The argument may be that, “they’re still so young,” but at this point in the season, you should know how to properly defend a basic NBA pick and roll (when to go over/under, how to get over/under efficiently, etc.).

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This ineffectiveness could be on account of the fact that the Lakers, who are a terrible screen setting team, never set real screens in practice for Clarkson, and D’Angelo Russell for that matter, to learn how to get over, but that’s besides the point.

There’s plenty of film out there to show them exactly what they need to know.

Clarkson will be a restricted free agent come the season’s end, but has he really earned the max contract people assume the Lakers will offer him? Sure, his max deal won’t necessarily be the “max” everyone is used to, as explained here, but regardless, it will still represent a decent chunk of LA’s salary.

Further, with D’Angelo Russell supposedly being inserted back into the starting line up after All Star break, Clarkson’s solo audition is nearly at an end. That said, whether or not he can not only co-exist but thrive alongside Russell for the remainder of the season could serve to answer his pending contract questions.

Even in limited time, Russell has shown flashes of potential and leadership that Clarkson never has, so maybe consistently running alongside a more traditional point guard will help Clarkson in the long run.

Success in the NBA is all about fit, and how to find a place for every player’s skill set, just look at how the Golden State Warriors utilize Draymond Green or Andre Iguodala, so it’s important that the Lakers find this fit for Clarkson.

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With the right guidance and in the right situation, Clarkson could prove to be an effective combo guard, but until then, his sophomore slump will keep rolling on.