Jordan Clarkson is entering his sophomore year with the Los Angeles Lakers and despite some new faces, it seems likely that the 23-year-old guard who was picked 46th by the Washington Wizards before landing in Hollywood will remain Lakers head coach Bryon Scott's guy in the early goings.
Clarkson of course made a good account for himself in the Summer League, showing vast maturity as he headlined the new faces led no less by D' Angelo Russell.
After surprising many last year, many felt that Clarkson could possibly find himself out of the mix at some point, especially with hype on Russell, the coming of Lou Williams, the expected return of Kobe Bryant, and the tight-rope status of Nick Young.
That and of course a lot of other guards who could be bumped up at some point if they prove to be worthy are some things that could dislodge Clarkson from his role.
But based on his performance in the Summer League, it looks like the 6-foot-4-inch standout from Tulsa and Missouri can only lose his spot if he churns in a poor performance. With a roster full of young players that could shine if given the opportunity, it doesn't look like Clarkson intends to slow down.
Clarkson will be a player to watch, along with other stalwarts like Russell and another sophomore Julius Randle.
Randle, who was picked way ahead of Clarkson last year, will try to return with a bang after falling to injury last year. The former Kentucky Wildcat was barely able to show his worth, breaking his right tibia on opening day against the Houston Rockets.
He is expected to be back in harness this season although he has yet to get into the groove as seen in the Summer League where he got limited minutes. Nevertheless, such is not a gauge on how coach Scott intends to utilize him in the coming season.
For now question remains on what unit Scott will be using regularly. He could stick to his old hand or mix that up with some new faces. This should be answered once the regular season kicks off this coming October.
