Lakers Rumors: Latest on Jordan Clarkson and 2016 NBA Draft Options

Now that the 2015-16 NBA season is officially over, the league and its fans can focus solely on what lies ahead in the offseason, which includes the draft on June 23 and the start of free agency in July. 

For the Los Angeles Lakers, a proud franchise that has fallen upon dark times, this offseason is an opportunity to rebuild and get back into contention for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. 

Here's a look at some of the latest rumors surrounding the Lakers, which come on both the draft and free-agency fronts.

Jordan Clarkson Could Have Other Suitors

Shooting guard Jordan Clarkson enjoyed a successful second season in the NBA while proving to be one of the few bright spots on the Lakers.

In 79 games, the 24-year-old averaged 15.5 points per contest while shooting over 43 percent from the field. He showed versatility by scoring from all corners of the floor along with above-average athleticism. 

With point guard D'Angelo Russell and forward Julius Randle, the Lakers have a young core that management can build a team around.

But Clarkson is headed for restricted free agency and, according to ESPN.com's Ian Begley, "has fans in the Knicks organization."

On Thursday, though, Clarkson made it clear to Shahan Ahmed of NBC Los Angeles that he wants to stay in Los Angeles: "L.A. is like home for me, so I definitely want to be here. I definitely want to stay in L.A. but kind of have an open mind."

According to Spotrac, the Lakers have $23,126,154 in active contracts in 2016-17. That could leave around $70 million to play with in the offseason. So if it comes down to a bidding war, it's unlikely that the Lakers will be beaten.

Could Lakers Be Showing Their Draft Hand?

With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft, the Lakers looked destined to take LSU's Ben Simmons or Duke's Brandon Ingram—depending on whom the Philadelphia 76ers take at No. 1.

On Sunday, though, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reported the Lakers might not be looking at one of those players:

This could mean one of two things for Los Angeles' draft strategy. One possibility is that the Lakers know the 76ers are going with Simmons, which means L.A. will go with Ingram. Another is that the Lakers aren't interested in Simmons and could be looking at other prospects. 

On Saturday, the team worked out Oklahoma scoring machine Buddy Hield, who Medina reported was confident the Lakers would pick him at No. 2. “This is what the franchise needs,” Hield said. “The Lakers are losing Kobe [Bryant], and they need a scorer. So why not call on me to fill in their spot?”

There is no question that Hield is one of the most explosive scorers in the 2016 draft class. In his senior season at Oklahoma, he averaged 25 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the floor, including a 45.7 percent mark from three-point range.

Getting a player like Hield could create a logjam at the guard position if Clarkson does re-sign with the Lakers. The two would be competing for minutes—unless ESPN.com's Chad Ford's hunch (via CBS Sports' James Herbert) that the team could deal Russell is right.

If that does happen, Clarkson could slot in at the point guard position, which he's done at various points during his first two seasons in the league, and Hield could be the marquee scorer in Los Angeles.