Former Los Angeles Lakers players Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson left the team with mixed emotions last Thursday, when they were traded for Cleveland Cavaliers' point guard Isaiah Thomas and forward Channing Frye.
The trade was admittedly about salary cap space, as both Thomas and Frye had expiring contracts. Lakers took the opportunity to get the "flexibility" that they have been looking for, says Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson.
Johnson says that the team had to give up "some special guys" to get to where they "want to go." Both Nance Jr. and Clarkson have been long-time players in the Lakers and both grew their basketball career with the team.
In an interview, Clarkson said that while it is still "early" and the situation has not had time to really sink in, he knows that he is "definitely going to miss the people and everybody" that he met in the team.
The player also said that he is not interested in the business aspect of basketball. "I've just been trying to focus on the basketball and not the business of the game," Clarkson said.
Clarkson joined the Lakers in 2014, followed shortly by Nance Jr. in 2015. The former was known for racking up scores, while the latter made his name by playing great defense.
Nance Jr. is also known for his slam dunks, so much so that he is scheduled to compete in an All-Star dunk contest to be held at the Staples Center next Saturday.
As for one of their trade replacements, it seems that Thomas may not have been the best pick for the team. The point guard has recovered from a serious hip injury, but is yet to play as the athlete that he was when he was still with the Boston Celtics.
However, it is expected that Thomas' current employment with the Lakers will give him enough time to rebuild his career stats again.
