Los Angeles Lakers Could Be Stacked with Potent Sophomore Class Next Season

This has been a losing season fraught with detours and wipeouts for the Los Angeles Lakers.

But among scant silver linings is the hope for a potent sophomore class when the fall campaign begins.

Current rookies Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Tarik Black will very likely be a part of next season’s lineup. Randle only played 14 minutes in his rookie debut before breaking his leg, but he will still be considered a second-year player.

Additionally, shooting guard Jabari Brown, who is on a 10-day call-up from the Los Angeles D-Fenders, could also show up in Lakers training camp.

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Jabari Brown has just checked into the game to make his #Lakers debut. Here's a few stats about the promising guard: pic.twitter.com/NAmDPwrcYE

— TWC SportsNet (@TWCSportsNet) March 13, 2015"

The development of promising young prospects on multiyear rookie contracts has become an increasing priority in an era of strict salary caps and escalating luxury taxes. 

Randle is the only first-round draft pick in the bunch (No. 7 overall in the 2014 draft). Clarkson was obtained when the Lakers purchased the rights to the Washington Wizards’ No. 46 pick, while Black and Brown weren’t drafted at all.

But beyond the value of test-driving rookies on the cheap, the players themselves will look to continue proving their worth to a league that, apart from Randle, virtually dismissed them last June.

The 20-year-old power forward was recently cleared to resume non-contact basketball activities and will accompany the team on an upcoming five-game road trip in order to observe opponents from the bench.

According to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Lakers coach Byron Scott feels there can still be lessons learned from an otherwise lost rookie season.

“It’s a wasted year as far as him not being able to play on a consistent basis,” said Scott. “But he can still learn by watching and observing what players are doing, especially guys he will be guarding in the near future. It will be good to watch them play and learn as much as he can from them.”

As for Clarkson, a season that began slowly with limited minutes turned a major corner when he was thrust into the starting lineup at the point guard position in late January. His numbers increased from 4.9 points per game off the bench to 14.0 as a starter.

For the season, Clarkson is currently the fourth-leading scorer among all rookies, averaging 9.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

A 6’5” speed-burner with excellent ball-handling skills and athleticism, the 22-year-old has been soaking up opportunities and knowledge like a sponge, improving his all-around game. During the month of March, he has upped his production across the board, averaging 14.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 31 minutes per game.

Per Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, Lakers assistant coach Mark Madsen has been especially impressed with the rookie’s newfound penchant for cleaning the glass.

“I’ve never see a point guard rebound the ball the way Jordan can rebound,” said Madsen, the former Laker power forward. “Jordan has heart, he has tremendous timing and he has a desire to get the ball. He has a nose for the ball and he’s tough.”

And then there’s Black, a combo power forward/center who went undrafted in June after playing three seasons at the University of Memphis, plus one at the University of Kansas.

Brandon Dill/Associated Press

The 23-year-old earned his way onto the Houston Rockets roster through summer league and a training camp invite but was waived to make room for the acquisition of Josh Smith.

The Lakers promptly picked Black up and have used him in a variety of roles off the bench and as a starter. And while his averages of 5.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game won’t set the league on fire, there are other factors worth pointing out. For instance, the rookie’s offensive rebound percentage at 11.6 is second only to Ed Davis among Lakers players, per Basketball-Reference.com.

Black combines a high basketball IQ with an absolute willingness to do the dirty work in the trenches.

After a loss to the New York Knicks on March 12, in which he had a double-double in 25 minutes before fouling out, Black responded to questions, via Lakers.com.

“Right now I’m still learning,” Black said. “That’s part of my process, part of my growth and maturation in this league. But I will not stop playing hard because of fouls, I’ll say that as of right now. I won’t become one of those that’s going to die down or stop being aggressive.”

A baller’s second year in the league can be a crucial juncture, yet some players never make the jump at all. Case in point, the Lakers’ Wesley Johnson—a former fourth overall pick whose chameleon-like journey with three teams has presented a career arc that is essentially flat.

Nobody can yet predict what a complete Lakers roster will look like next season. Los Angeles potentially has two first-round and two second-round picks in the upcoming draft as well as the money to chase top free agents during the offseason.

But we do know that Kobe Bryant will return for his 20th and perhaps final season after another major injury. He'll be older but still ferociously determined. And surrounding the Godfather will be an amalgamation of younger players looking to make their marks.

Randle, Clarkson and Black will represent a potent Lakers sophomore class during the 2015-16 season.

Each has faced adversity and challenges during their embryonic hoops careers.

And collectively, they could help form a nucleus for a new generation of purple-and-gold success.