Jordan Clarkson

[aaron_gray]

I don't think anyone considers steph or kyrie bad defenders anymore. IMO from the eye test, john wall is far worse than those 2 on defense, although the advanced stats tell a different story.

[EArl]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik8tuJXCXsc[/youtube]

[dipstick]

How legit is Jordan Clarkson? I understand that he's been producing well, but given that our team is composed of some guys that deserve to be in the D-League, will those numbers hold-up on a good team? Don't get me wrong. I want JC to do well. Just asking. If a guy like Jabari Brown can come up from the D-League and put up good numbers, I'm wondering how much of this is due to being on a bad team and how much of it is really being NBA ready.

[crazyeights]

He's been playing with so much confidence and poise, IDK how it's not NBA readiness.

I remember in the first few games when he was bricking floaters and guys were acting like he was a ball hog. The guy was just nervous.

His improvement has been a sight to see, that's for sure. As a Laker fan, I don't remember the last time I saw one player improve so much in one season except maybe Bynum his breakout year.

That said I doubt he'll consistently be able to put up 19 shots once Kobe, Randle, et al are on the court, but it's awesome to know that as a rookie, defenses can be keyed on him and he still consistently is efficient for a volume shooter.

[tugs]

Putting up numbers against top PGs says a lot.

[So Gutta]

Everyone thank this man's ineptitude and flawed logic for Jordan Clarkson being a Laker. Here he is explaining why he sold the pick for cash (it's obvious he had no idea who Clarkson was)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSPr6FVECYo&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

Thank you for being one of the worst GMs in the league, Ernie!!

[dipstick]

Everyone thank this man's ineptitude and flawed logic for Jordan Clarkson being a Laker. Here he is explaining why he sold the pick for cash (it's obvious he had no idea who Clarkson was)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSPr6FVECYo&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

Thank you for being one of the worst GMs in the league, Ernie!!

We also have to thank the 15 other teams who decided to pass on Clarkson in the 2nd round. In fairness to Grunfeld, Clarkson was far from a sure thing. We saw potential but I doubt anybody expected anything like this. He didn't even get any PT until we lost a lot of players. Its just great that the Lakers always have money to spend and some teams need money more than picks. Besides, even if the Wizards kept the pick, they would have probably gone another direction and made a useless pick. I'm pretty sure that Clarkson was our choice and not theirs.

[aaron_gray]

It should be illegal for him to come down and shoot a long 2 before trying to get a better shot

[Slava]

Zach Lowe put him on all rookie first team ahead of Smart.

There are really only two points of inflection here: the last first-team spot, between Clarkson and Smart, and the final three second-team spots, which could go to anyone among a gaggle of guys who affected only parts of the season.

Smart had the last first-team spot on this ballot until the last three weeks or so, when Clarkson overtook him with some legitimately solid scoring and distributing for a wretched Lakers team. Smart brings a singular skill — on-ball defense — that shines brighter than any one thing Clarkson does, but Clarkson’s mature all-around play on offense is enough to win by a nose.4 This is not a case of a young talent gunning for numbers on a go-nowhere team bereft of any other perimeter options.

Clarkson could have played that way. Lord knows some of his teammates have been chasing stats as they approach free agency. But he’s been thoughtful on the pick-and-roll, slowing down to manipulate the defense, seeking out pocket passes, and steadying himself for a reliable midrange pull-up. Clarkson has a nice pick-and-roll chemistry with Tarik Black, which is a sentence that somehow applies to a team that had Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash two years ago.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-a ... am-effort/

[LApwnd]

I'm happy that JC turned out well for us but I wouldn't fault Ernie for selling the pick, Clarkson would not have had the same opportunity for PT in Wash playing behind Wall/Beal nor the same green light he gets here if he even did play in Wash. Also the price mgmt. paid for that pick was the highest I think anyone has paid up to this point for a 2nd pick ($1mill) so its not like he Ernie got chump change for it.

[Slava]

Ernie might not even have scouted Clarkson. FAWK he sold the pick and we made the decision on who to draft.

[spaceballer]

Trudell is reporting that Clarkson won't play last game due to tweaked ankle. They're going to give Jabari Brown and Vander Blue a more extended look to fill up the extra playtime.

[Goudelock]

Trudell is reporting that Clarkson won't play last game due to tweaked ankle. They're going to give Jabari Brown and Vander Blue a more extended look to fill up the extra playtime.

Kind of off topic, but how would you've reacted in 2012-13 (the "This is going to be FUN" team) if I'd told you that Jabari Brown and Vander Blue were going to be the starting guards in 2015.

On-topic, ALL HAIL JORDAN CLARKSON!!! He was literally the only bright spot this season (since Lin ain't coming back).

[ArC_man]

Good article on Clarkson from Vantage Sports, highlights his motor and efficiency on offense but also his deficiency on defense. The most surprising stat to me was his cut efficiency being so low. Just from watching the games (although not very intently last season), I felt like he played well without the ball.

1.5 OREB+ PER 100 CHANCES

61.2 OREB PURSUIT RATE

One area of the game where Clarkson does seem comparable to Westbrook is offensive rebounding. Jordan snags the 9th most OReb+ per 100 Chances among all guards on the season (min. = 1,000 chances), behind Russell Westbrook and fellow rookie Elfrid Payton. Going into the draft, Clarkson’s 6’5” frame and 6’8” wingspan were notable because of his ability act as a combo guard and handle more physicality when defending veteran guards, but when combined with his 61.2 percent OReb Pursuit Rate, Clarkson can be elite on the offensive boards at the guard position. Among the top 10 guards in OReb+ per 100 Chances, the only two guards with a higher OReb Pursuit Rate are Tony Allen (61.8 percent) and Rajon Rondo (66.6 percent).

3.76 TURNOVERS PER 100 TOUCHES

7.53 ASSIST+ PER 100 CHANCES

3.24 ASSIST+ TO TURNOVER RATIO

Among all point guards this season, Clarkson turns the ball over less than the league average (4.36), bumping his Assist+ to TO ratio to 3.24, which is impressive considering that he holds the 18th fewest Assist+ per 100 Chances among all point guards with at least 1,000 chances at 7.53. While Clarkson was certainly not a bad passer, compared to his peers, he ranks 59th out of 76 qualified point guards (min. = 1,000 chances) in Assist+ per 100 Chances. When he decides to drive, he has the vision to find his man as the defense collapses.
But Clarkson has a tendency to play more like a shooting guard than a true point guard at times. He can get a quick trigger off high pick-and-rolls when he gets space, settling for jumpers instead of driving and making a play for his teammates.

...

1.07 POINTS PER SHOT

37.7 CUT EFFICIENCY

1.07 POINTS AGAINST PER SHOT

http://www.vantagesports.com/story/VVtv ... n-clarkson

[The Prodigy]

I have a similar issue with this article than I had with another Vantage Sports article posted on the general board. That site seems to have the tendency to misinterpret the numbers.

The one posted on the General Board claimed that Jahlil Okafor was a less polished post scorer than Karl Towns, based on a lower points per shot stat (I believe that was the stat).

This one claims that Clarkson's athleticism is lacking because of his low cut efficiency. I'm sorry but if there's one thing Clarkson most definitely is, is athletic. There are others reasons to which the low cut efficiency can be attributed, such as lack of experience/lack of interest playing off the ball. I'm not denying that Clarkson needs to learn how to play off the ball, but his shortcomings in that area are NOT due to a lack of athleticism.