Subscribe
Follow Us
Earlier this offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves in heavy pursuit of All-Star forward Paul George‘s services.
A few of the trade proposals for George included veteran guard Jordan Clarkson being offered as one of the primary pieces. In fact, it was believed that either Clarkson or Julius Randle were presented alongside the 27th and 28th overall picks in this year's draft, but the Indiana Pacers decided against pulling the trigger on a deal.
During a recent interview with Mark Medina of the Orange County Register, the 25-year-old revealed how he dealt with the constant trade chatter around him.
“The only thing I can worry about in terms of stuff like that and trade rumors is myself and continue to work,” Clarkson said. “If I were to be traded, I just have to be ready to play. But I’m here in L.A. and am ready for the season. I’m excited.”
At least for the time being, Clarkson remains a significant part of the team's future as he heads into the second year of his four-year, $50 million contract. He's also coming off another productive campaign that saw him average 14.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals in 29.2 minutes per game.
He joins Mike Woodson as the only two players in NBA history to match those numbers by the third season in the league when starting fewer than 20 games. Clarkson could prove to be a valuable asset off the bench for Los Angeles second leading the second unit as one of the primary scoring options.
That said, his long-term future with the team may very well hinge how he performs this upcoming season.
