Ever since the failed Dwight Howard era, the Lakers have been building around what is becoming a very solid young core featuring Jordan Clarkson, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle. However, as the team looks to take the next step, going after a big name in free agency seems like a move many expect the Lakers to make.
Next summer, when stars like Paul George and LeBron James hit free agency, the Lakers are expected to make a run. They'll need the cap space to do it, and one of the possible players that could be moved is Clarkson. If and when this happens isn't clear, but according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Lakers would prefer to not do it at this season's trade deadline. Speaking on ESPN's Full Court Press, Wojnarowski gave the details of the Clarkson rumors.
"They believe they can trade Jordan Clarkson and get his money off. They prefer not to do it at the trade deadline. Clarkson has helped them win games this year, and because they don't have their pick, they want to win as many games as they can. So I think there's some confidence there that they can find a deal for Clarkson after the season, to get his money off. But there's got to be a sequencing here. And it gets back to, are they going to chase one max-salary slot, or two?"
Clarkson is a solid scoring guard for Los Angeles, but he's also a very ball-dominant-type scorer that shoots 33 percent from 3-point range. At 25 years old he's closer to reaching his potential than say a Ball or Ingram. He's one of the names that would make sense to move if Los Angeles chose to make a move for cap space.
What's interesting is that the Lakers don't want to move Clarkson before the trade deadline. They believe he's a part of why they've been winning games this season and want to take advantage of that before making a move in the offseason. This also means that Clarkson probably isn't being moved for salary unless they get a guarantee from a big-name free agent that Los Angeles is willing to sign.
