Upside
The Lakers clearly thought much higher of Clarkson since they bought a second round pick just to draft him. But, what does his upside look like? He’s a big point guard who needs to work on a few skills, but he has the most difficult skill down pat. Perimeter shooting is the easiest of NBA skills to develop. The release point on his jumpshot is unusually low and he shoots in front of his forehead instead of above it. Adding more arc to his shot will allow him to have better results from 3-point range and increase his points per possession. Kawhi Leonard was among the worst in points per possession off of jumpshooting as well. Three years later, he shot over 57% behind the 3-point line in the Finals.
A fair player comparison would be Greivis Vasquez. Both are big point guards. Both are smooth athletes. Both need to refine their jumpshots at the NBA level. Vasquez is the more intense defender, but Clarkson is the guy who can finish at the basket more consistently.