Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: According to sources, the Lakers could look to trade Jordan Clarkson this season.
Los Angeles Lakers rumors are beginning to heat up with NBA Trade Season on the horizon. With players who signed as free agents this past summer now eligible to be traded, rumors are bound to pick up. A recent rumor has emerged involving the Lakers.
It is an open secret what the Lakers want to do this offseason. They are hoping to clear enough cap space to be able to sign two max free agents during the summer of 2018. If the Lakers are going to reach those aspirations, they will need to make some roster moves.
The one they are hoping to make is to trade Luol Deng. Deng was signed to an absurd contract by Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss in the summer of 2016 in short-sighted moves. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka inherited his bad contract, along with Timofey Mozgov.
Johnson and Pelinka were able to move Mozgov. They traded him to the Brooklyn Nets, along with D’Angelo Russell, for Brook Lopez and the No. 27 pick that turned into Kyle Kuzma.
The Lakers would love to do another deal like that to rid themselves of Deng’s contract. However, that is easier said than done. Is it really worth surrendering another young asset with Deng to sweeten the package?
It is something the Lakers will have to discuss in the coming weeks. However, they can shed salary in other ways. One would be trading someone such as Jordan Clarkson.
Clarkson was involved in trade rumors throughout the offseason. Leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft, Clarkson was apart of trade proposals with the Indiana Pacers as the Lakers hoped to land Paul George.
Nothing came from those talks, but Clarkson’s name remained in trade talks. There was a report early in August that the Lakers would trade Clarkson if it meant clearing more cap space, and the organization was confident they would be able to move Clarkson.
Those trade talks have been quiet, but they are heating up once again courtesy of Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Wojnarowski, the Lakers could look to trade Clarkson this season, who is in the second season of his four-year extension.
Clarkson has been a sparkplug for the Lakers off the bench thus far this season. Despite hitting a rough patch the past five games, Clarkson is still having a strong season.
Heading into Saturday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Clarkson was averaging 13.8 points on a career-high 46.2 percent from the field. He is also averaging 2.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists despite playing only 22.1 minutes per game, which is a career-low.
Clarkson has transitioned into his sixth man role without any real hiccups. He has embraced his role off the bench and performed well. If the Lakers do indeed make him available in trade talks, they should be able to land a solid return package.
Clarkson is not only producing but is on a team-friendly contract, as he is owed just under $26 million the next two seasons; that is a steal compared to what players of similar or even lesser caliber, than Clarkson receive on the open market.
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If the Lakers are intent on adding two max-level free agents, they will have to shed some cap. There will be some casualties if they reach that goal, and Clarkson could be one of the players on the move.