Jordan Clarkson is the under-discussed member of the Lakers' up-and-coming core. The third-year 24-year-old guard has been one of the few bright spots on the worst Lakers teams of all time the past two seasons, and he showed enough to warrant L.A. bringing him back this summer on a four-year, $50 million deal as a restricted free agent.

After suffering through those terrible seasons, though, why was Clarkson in such a hurry to return to the Lakers, especially with the team clearly looking to build around D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram? Clarkson told Vice Sports he didn't want to "run away from a challenge:"

"You want to bring it back," he said. "That's the reason why you want to stay, because you're here during the bad times and then you want to be here when it's time to be good. I don't want to be the guy to run away from a challenge. That's why I want to stay here. I don't feel like there's pressure but it's definitely something you want to happen. Who wants to lose? Who wants to be a loser?"

Source: Jordan Clarkson, The Overlooked Laker, Is Ready To Be Seen | VICE Sports.

Now, part of this is simple economics. The Lakers offered him $50 million as a restricted free agent when most teams were unlikely to make an offer. The team was also likely to match any offer made for Clarkson, who only shot 43 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from 3-point range last season. So it wasn't all Clarkson's call, but he had telegraphed plainly before that he wanted to return to the Lakers.

Jordan Clarkson is ready to win with the Lakers USATSI

It's good that Clarkson wants to be a part of the turnaround; it shows leadership. What will be interesting is what role Clarkson will eventually play. He averaged 15.5 points per game last season, but with Russell, Ingram and Randle as likely long-term starters (though Ingram is likely to come off the bench, at least early in the year, with Luol Deng on the roster), the team will want veteran starters at some point. Is Clarkson's future as a sixth man?

That role would be a good fit for him, with his easy ability to get to the rim. Then again, if Luke Walton is able to unlock his efficiency and help Clarkson make the leap to the next level, who's to say he's not the future of the team? That's what is most exciting about the Lakers' core. You don't know which one of their young stars will wind up being the best player on the team... unless they sign or trade for Russell Westbrook, of course.