The Los Angeles Lakers traded Jordan Clarkson away in 2018, and he just lost his place on the Knicks when they acquired Jose Alvarado. The 33-year-old was providing scoring off the bench in the Big Apple, but his flaws had the franchise looking for guard help. They found it when Alvarado became available amid a nightmare season in New Orleans.
Clarkson has now played a total of seven minutes in the last five games combined. He was limited to mop-up duties twice and was a DNP in the other three. This is certainly not what the Lakers' draft pick envisioned when he joined the Knicks in the offseason. Clarkson was averaging over 19 minutes per game before the trade, but New York clearly believed they needed an upgrade to be a serious title contender.
Casual NBA fans didn’t even know Jose Alvarado was traded. The undersized and energetic guard has provided a boost for the Knicks, where he is quickly becoming a fan favorite. Still, Lakers fans may not even be aware that this deal went down. It was under the radar, but Clarkson is feeling a massive impact from it.
Knicks' trade for Jose Alvarado turned out to be an awful move for Jordan Clarkson
Clarkson spent his first three and a half NBA seasons with the Lakers. He played his first two years with Kobe Bryant and quickly blossomed into a starter and trusted scorer. Los Angeles was rebuilding when they jumped at the chance to acquire Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and a first-round draft pick from the Cavaliers for Larry Nance Jr. and Clarkson.
The 6’5 guard has been a professional scorer for years. He settled in as a sixth man after leaving Los Angeles and is six points shy of scoring 12,500 for his career. Nobody will ever say Clarkson is a lockdown defender, but the 33-year-old is in his 12th NBA season.
He was eager to join the Knicks after being bought out by the Jazz. It was a shot for Clarkson to play for a title contender. He has appeared in the playoffs just four times and has advanced beyond the first round just twice. Clarkson played in the NBA Finals with the Cavaliers in 2018 and hopes to get back with New York.
The Alvarado trade has bumped him out of the rotation, but fans know the veteran will stay ready. Clarkson can get a bucket at a moment’s notice, and an injury could put him back in at any moment.
The Los Angeles Lakers have their own problems at the moment. Deandre Ayton simply can’t stick in the starting five, and their defense is atrocious. They have three stars, but appear nowhere near title contention. There will be significant changes in the offseason, but they are not bringing back Jordan Clarkson. Fans are questioning why the purple and gold didn’t add their own version of Jose Alvarado before the trade deadline, though.
The Knicks' trading for Jose Alvarado has been disastrous for Jordan Clarkson. He is completely out of the rotation as New York chases a title. This is not what the former Lakers guard envisioned when he went to the Big Apple, but that is what happens if you underperform on a serious contender. Rob Pelinka and the Lakers should take notes.