Lakers Insider: Jordan Clarkson Must Be 2-Way Player Regardless of Role

LOS ANGELES — This offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers made a significant, $50 million investment in third-year guard Jordan Clarkson.

On Saturday, Clarkson made his first start of the preseason, scoring 15 points during a 112-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors,

With the Lakers getting a quick rematch against the Warriors on Wednesday, head coach Luke Walton is still trying to decide on a role for Clarkson, be it off the bench as the team’s sixth man or in the starting backcourt next to point guard D’Angelo Russell.

“That’s something we’ll figure out, if we want to try it again next game,” Walton told reporters on Monday. “I’ll probably talk to him a little bit, see what he’s thinking, how he’s feeling and make that decision tomorrow.”

Clarkson has spoken highly of Walton, despite what might be perceived as a demotion to the team’s second unit after starting each of the 79 games he played last season. Walton has instead gone with veteran scorer Lou Williams in five of the team’s six preseason contests, citing the chemistry he’s seen developing off the bench with players like Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr., Tarik Black, Clarkson and either Jose Calderon or Marcelo Huertas.

“It’s a good, active young group, for the most part,” Walton said. “They’ve got some basketball IQ there, where they help each other a lot. It’s too early to tell exactly what it is, but there’s definitely something to that group.”

“Coach is doing a good job of mixing up the lineups and trying to build chemistry. I think he’s doing a really good job,” Clarkson said.

Originally acquired by the Lakers with the 46th pick in 2014, Clarkson impressed as an offensive player through his first two seasons. But he criticized his own play after the Lakers’ 17-win debacle last year.

“I was horrible on the defensive end this year, to be honest with you. This summer, I’ve got to make strides,” Clarkson said in April.

Working with longtime trainer Drew Hanlen, founder of Pure Sweat, Clarkson dedicated his summer to improving on both sides of the ball. Hanlen recently spoke at length to the Hollywood Hoops podcast, detailing Clarkson’s summer regimen.

“We just watched the best defenders,” said Hanlen. “I mean if you look at Kawhi Leonard [of the San Antonio Spurs], it’s not like he’s out there running around like crazy—he’s just always in the right spots…more so than anything, is just getting in the right mindset of, ‘Hey, listen, I’m not just going to go out there and get 20 points but I’m going to stop that guy from getting 20 points.'”

“I mean [Clarkson] plays guard in the Western Conference. You’re talking about Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, James Harden, etc. etc,” Hanlen continued. “I mean, if you don’t bring it on the defensive end, you’re going to get torched on any given night.”

Walton has noticed a difference in Clarkson.

“We watch tape at our coach’s retreat and they gave us the analytics on him defensively, and he was not good last year at defense. He was not good,” Walton said. “He’s been maybe our most consistent perimeter defender since the start of camp.”

“All defense is, is taking angles, finding a spot where to cut somebody off, using your chest,” Clarkson said. “Some of that stuff had to come in the weight room. I got stronger this summer. I just put in a lot of work.”

“A big part of defense. if you’re going to play it on every possession, is enjoying the idea of trying to get stops and trying to make it hard on your guy,” Walton said. “He’s a year older, who knows what it is, but he’s done a great job for us.”

Despite Clarkson’s growth as a player—and his substantial salary, making him the team’s third-highest-paid player—Walton may still opt to bring the 24-year old guard off the bench. If so, Hanlen says Clarkson will use that as further motivation to improve.

“If he’s playing 35 …

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