Lakers: 3 Takeaways From the Preseason Loss vs Sacramento Kings

Jordan Clarkson is growing into his role as Mr. Consistency.

After surprisingly ceding his preseason starting spot to Lou Williams, Clarkson has become the perfect counterpart to D’Angelo Russell and the clear offensive leader of the second unit.

Clarkson finished with 18 points on 12 shots, the only other Laker player in double figures. He’s been attacking the rim with consistency during this preseason and its been paying off. Over five games, he’s averaging 15.5 points on a commendable 48 percent from the field thus far.

One of the early stories this month was Clarkson’s renewed effort on the defensive end, which has garnered praise from Walton and teammates during training camp. While his defense faltered a bit tonight, he was hardly the only player with issues on that end of the floor Thursday.

Either way, Clarkson’s role as leader of the second unit is off to a great start. As Brandon Ingram continues to ease his way into NBA action, The third-year combo guard will be counted on to rally a bench that will be key for the Lakers this season. Since this roster is likely outmatched by many team’s starting five, the bench will have to use their opportunities to cut into deficits and build up precious leads.

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It remains to be seen how Walton plans to utilize Clarkson during the regular season, but if his play keeps up, he’ll find himself with a good amount of responsibility both ends of the floor.