Jordan Clarkson Has Officially Emerged as Los Angeles Lakers' Best Player
LOS ANGELES โ Thanks to his nifty bag of floaters, efficient mid-range game and out-of-the-blue three-point accuracy, Jordan Clarkson has quietly become the best player on the Los Angeles Lakers.ย
As it stands, that particular label lacks the prestige it once did, but Clarksonโs blooming gifts have glimmered within the darkness of Los Angelesโ 2-9 start. In a slightly different role from his rookie season, the second-round pick is even more dynamic in year two, as a pure scorer who ends plays from just about any spot on the court.ย
As the Lakersโ current leader in total minutes, shots and points, Clarkson doubles as one of the most effective scorers in the entire league. According to Basketball-Reference.com, among players who average at least 30 minutes per game, Clarkson is one of four who are making at least 44 percent of their threes and 45 percent of their overall field goals.ย
According to NBA.com, as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, Clarkson is more efficient than Jimmy Butler, Bradley Beal, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Tony Parker (on equal or more attempts). As a spot-up shooter who is knocking down 48.4 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes, heโs averaging more points per possession than Kyle Korver and Dirk Nowitzki.ย
โIโm trying to knock down the open ones,โ he said. โThe easy ones when I have the opportunity, worrying about taking good shots instead of bad shots. โฆ Iโm continuing to grow in that area.โ
Heโs clearly in good company, even if very little of his influence has improved the Lakersโ all-around sorrows. They have the third-worst offense in basketball and score at an even lower rate with Clarkson on the court. But his rapid development canโt be overlooked.
Eleven games into a lost season, embedded within a roster that's already infamous for its toothless pack of โshoot first, ask questions laterโ hyenas, Clarkson is L.A.'s most reliable guard. If necessary, he can curl around screens and pick defenses apart from behind the three-point line. If asked, he can initiate a passable pick-and-roll-based offense that would make life easier for his teammates. ย
But the pieces around him donโt complement his skill set, and in many ways that makes Clarksonโs shooting splits even more impressive. After finishing at about a league-average clip in the restricted area as a rookie, Clarkson still lives around the basket (Russell Westbrook and Monta Ellis earn about the same percentage of their points in the paint as the Lakers guard does). But, simultaneously, heโs diversifying his shot selection by drifting a bit farther from the rim.ย
So far, heโs made 54.5 percent of his shots within eight feet of the hoop, according to NBA.com. He's also shooting a ridiculous 57.7 percent in the non-restricted area of the paint. Those are tricky shots that require an insane level of improvisation. Itโs unteachable creativity, and Clarkson has more than enough.
โI feel myself letting the plays happen more than anticipating the play and forcing it,โ he said. โI see a lot of things. The game is a lot slower.โ
That patience really shows. Instead of hammering his way into the teeth of the defense, heโs herky-jerky with head fakes, hesitation dribbles and agile, controlled movement. He has no problem changing direction on the fly, and he caps off slithery forays with plush touch. Out of all the players who average at least six drives per game, only Goran Dragic, Wade and John Wall are more accurate than Clarksonโs 57.5 percent. Hereโs an example:
The Lakers need him to make these types of plays because, well, nobody on the team can do so without being predictable. But thereโs a cost, and a fear, that Clarkson is turning into more of a one-dimensional device than the playmaker he can be.ย
With DโAngelo Russell and Lou Williams in the mix, more and more he finds himself working away from the action, and adopting a different role isnโt the easiest thing in the world, especially for a 23-year-old who doesnโt even have 50 starts under his belt. There are definite growing pains.
โIโm playing a lot more off the ball, so itโs kind of a different aspect for me in terms of trying to get assists and stuff because I have such an aggressive mindset playing the 2-guard,โ Clarkson said. โBut I need to find a way to balance that out and get my teammates involved as well.โ
Clarksonโs assist percentage is literally half what it was last year, but he doesnโt stop the ball so much as he continuously keeps the defense on its heels. He probes to score and requires the narrowest of angles to get up a quality shot.
Itโs a pretty floor game, but similar to all but one or two guys on this Lakers team, defense is Clarksonโs Achillesโ heel. Heโs decent on the ball, with quick hands, quicker feet and fluid reflexes.ย But too often heโll die on a screen, almost like he isnโt sure whether heโs supposed to slide above or dive below.
Clarkson is also one reason why L.A.โs transition defense is so horrendous. Sometimes, itโs because heโs out of position when a teammate gets a shot up. Sometimes, itโs because he wants to needlessly dive in for an offensive rebound. And sometimes, when he misses the shot, Clarksonโs drives leave the Lakers susceptible to five-on-four breaks the other way.ย
Heโs young, though, and most of his weaknesses on this side of the ball are correctable.ย
โI feel like my defense has grown a lot,โ Clarkson said. โI still have strides to make. The big thing for me, since Iโm playing the off-ball position [is] post defense, trying not to let guys score on me on the block. Now itโs just kind of playing help side and helping my teammates and keeping guys out the lane.โ
He isnโt particularly strong for a wing, but Clarkson has held his own against some of the leagueโs better post-scoring guards. Here he is against Dallasโ Wesley Matthews:
When engaged and trying to stop his man from a direct basket, Clarkson is solid. But problems pop up in knowing when to dig on a post up or slide off his man to tag a rolling big. Again, those are correctable. Heโs still so inexperienced, playing in an environment that's never been confused for a warm incubator.ย
Clarkson's overall game is on an upward trajectory, though. As the Lakers crawl through what will probably beย Kobe Bryantโs final season, they should savor and embrace every reason for optimism they can find.
And Clarkson's emergence is a reason to be hopeful for the future.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Stats are accurate as of Nov. 19.
