Lakers trade into 2nd round, draft Jordan Clarkson

Lakers fans who stayed tuned into the draft  long after the Lakers used their 7th pick on Julius Randle were rewarded with the news that the Lakers traded with the Washington Wizards for the 46th pick, selecting guard Jordan Clarkson out of Missouri.

Clarkson is a guard with size, at 6’4, and was projected by some sites as a first round pick, offering great value in the 2nd round. The Missouri product knows how to use his size, though, and often posts up smaller defenders. In his lone season at Missouri, he ran the point guard, a role he was not previously used to. Even with the new position, he averaged 17.5 points a game.

In previous seasons as a shooting guard, Clarkson’s percentages were much better than his last season, shooting 37.4% from three in his second season at Tulsa and getting to the line nearly six times game.

For a Lakers team void of players the roster currently, grabbing another cheap youngster like Clarkson was a great grab. With Steve Nash the only player guaranteed to be on the roster next season, Clarkson could see big minutes. Kendall Marshall will likely be brought back considering his cheap contract, but even then Clarkson could slot in as a third guard.

With Randle, Clarkson provides the Lakers a solid draft class after a season of disappointment. With the likes of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony to be targeted, these could be high value players for the Lakers in coming years.