Jan 16, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard
Wayne Ellington(2) looks to shoot the ball while being guarded by Utah Jazz forward
Joe Ingles(2) during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Shooting Guards
Starter – Wayne Ellington, 30 minutes
2nd String – Nick Young, 25 minutes
3rd String – Jordan Clarkson, 10 minutes
In his most recent stint in the starting line-up, Ellington has looked like a revelation, averaging 16.4 points a game over the last five contests. Whether or not he’s a part of the future remains to be seen, but for now there’s no reason not to play him as the starting shooting guard. Realistically, there’s no better option as Nick Young is better off the bench. Best case scenario, a team is impressed with Ellington’s play and makes a deadline move for him.
Speaking of Young, let’s hope the turmoil surrounding him not playing against the Knicks is gone. At his best, Swaggy P is instant offense off the bench and brings energy to the lineup. We’ve seen the last two seasons that he can single-handedly win games for the Lakers. However, more often than not this year, he’s been losing games for the Lakers (which depending on your stance on tanking, might be even better). The Lakers signed Young to a long-term extension this summer and are going to have to live with his streakiness for now as it’s really hard to envision anyone trading for him.
Clarkson should also get some minutes at the shooting guard spot as he’s essentially the exact replica of a combo guard. It’s a simple way for Scott to get playing time for both Lin and Clarkson and it could be an effective line-up.
Next: Small Forwards