If you want to find Jordan Clarkson, you won’t have to look very far. He is the 22 year old who patiently sits on the bench while waiting his turn. Dressed in his Lakers warmups, cheering for his teammates, Jordan Clarkson pays his dues. He is a rookie guard in the NBA who has to fight through a crowded field to be noticed. But, last week, the warmups came off and he entered three games, played thirty minutes, worked up a sweat, missed a lot of easy baskets, but he was on the floor against exceptional talent. He played on Christmas Day to a national audience, most of whom had probably never heard of him.
Oct 29, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) against the Phoenix Suns during the home opener at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Lakers 119-99. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The fact that Jordan Clarkson has rarely played has not been his fault. He is not in charge of the minutes he is given, only how hard he practices and how dedicated he is to improving. He’s been in and out of the D-league to help continue with his maturation. But the fact is, he is the fifth guard on a very bad team, behind Kobe Bryant and Ronnie Price and Jeremy Lin and Wayne Ellington.
A surprise to almost everyone, Kobe Bryant’s week off opened a window of opportunity for Jordan Clarkson. He averaged 13 minutes. The three games he played were against playoff teams with dynamic guards: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo, Monta Ellis. He was able to witness explosiveness and efficiency and ball movement and quickness. He had to adapt to the speed of the game as the players he was guarding were not only quick, they knew exactly where they wanted to go, what shot they wanted to take, how they planned to execute the game plan.
In those three games, Jordan Clarkson shot 28%. He had 5 offensive rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 turnover, 5 personal fouls, and 11 points.
Expectations are usually set low for rookies, and for second round picks the traditional thinking is that most will wind up in Europe. There have been several second round picks who have had long NBA careers but most are role players. The NBA is a tough league to break into. The Lakers say all the right things; they appear committed to bringing Jordan Clarkson along at a slow pace. But how on earth is he supposed to get better if he doesn’t get out on the floor?
The recent three game sample size is small but watching him on the floor, his athleticism and quickness outshine his efficiency and shooting skill. It was the same way when John Wall came into the league. He played too fast and had to learn to slow down and fit the game around his speed. Clarkson has the potential to be a top notched perimeter defender. He has quick hands, he is long, he anticipates screens well, his lateral movement is fast. He has a good motor and a good temper for a NBA guard.
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His offense needs a lot of work, though. He is shooting 27% from 0-3 feet. It’s even worse on mid-range shots, 10%. Clarkson’s problem is not getting into the paint, he can do that with ease. It is finishing. His floater usually bangs around the rim. His three point shot is his most consistent shot right now. Who could forget the open layup he missed on Christmas Day? Those are things that get better with work and experience and time on the court. Which begs this question: When will he play again?
Does he have to wait for Kobe to take some time off again, or for an injury in the backcourt, or for the unlikely occurrence the Lakers will have a huge lead. What exactly is he learning being a cheerleader on the bench? His quickness on defense alone makes him an asset that is deserving of some minutes, even if at times, he looks like a rookie.
The Lakers are not a playoff team and if you take them at their word, Jordan Clarkson is one of their assets as they proceed forward into this strange territory even they are unfamiliar with. Holding him back doesn’t help anyone, not the Lakers and their future hopes of respectability, not the development of Jordan Clarkson, and most definitely not the future.