Clarkson and Randle Thread

[Landsberger]

Of the 2 Clarkson gives us the most value IMHO.

Randle's production is either redundant or easily replaced. A PF who can lead a break... so what? When we have Ball, Ingram and most likely Kuzma who hall handle the ball as well as Randle that "talent" is redundant. Rebounding and scoring.... I believe we will get the same board numbers from a team perspective with or without him. Rebound numbers individually are really misleading. It's the team defensive boards that are important. Scoring wise he's inconsistent and has issues stretching the floor. Kuzma in the starting line up moves the team forward IMHO.

Clarkson, with our current make up, has some skills that we lack in our back court. He's probably the only player we have that can get to the hoop and draw contact/finish regularly. That comes with obvious baggage but that is a skill set we need on a team that is being pushed to shoot 3's as much as we are. Without at least one guy who can break down a defense (maybe Ball can but I have yet to see it) it makes it easier to defend us.

I would have traded Randle last year. I'm somewhat indifferent on Clarkson. I do this there is a lot of negativity toward him for little reason around here. Guys like him will have a solid NBA career and help teams in the right situation. His shooting has been as good as Russell's was over the last 2 years yet everyone thought Russell as a shooter and Clarkson wasn't. The numbers showed something different.

I'll say this NO ONE CARES!!!!!!!!!! Clarkson will be gone the first chance we get.

Ha ha ha... just my post but you or is any post that is fair to Clarkson pissing you off?

[TrillyandTruly]

both players looked like they haven't improved at all, despite both being in better shape, especially JR.

and i honestly, every time JR gets the ball down low, i close my eyes because i can't stand to watch him **** up. he's trash. clarkson is decent. both needs to be shipped out of LA. if pelinka manages to do so, i'll kiss his feet.

[milesfides]

Kuzma has absolutely made Randle expendable.

While Larry Nance could play backup and shift to center at times, Kuzma is a straight up baller. They're trying to push him to the three? What about Brandon Ingram? It's a joke, they can't find enough minutes.

Clarkson's days are hopefully numbered, but there are still some variables. One, I don't think KCP is that good. Second, Paul George might not come. Third, Clarkson might show some improvement this year. Fourth, he's still signed on a relatively fair contract for a couple more years.

[larry14r]

Of the 2 Clarkson gives us the most value IMHO.

Randle's production is either redundant or easily replaced. A PF who can lead a break... so what? When we have Ball, Ingram and most likely Kuzma who hall handle the ball as well as Randle that "talent" is redundant. Rebounding and scoring.... I believe we will get the same board numbers from a team perspective with or without him. Rebound numbers individually are really misleading. It's the team defensive boards that are important. Scoring wise he's inconsistent and has issues stretching the floor. Kuzma in the starting line up moves the team forward IMHO.

Clarkson, with our current make up, has some skills that we lack in our back court. He's probably the only player we have that can get to the hoop and draw contact/finish regularly. That comes with obvious baggage but that is a skill set we need on a team that is being pushed to shoot 3's as much as we are. Without at least one guy who can break down a defense (maybe Ball can but I have yet to see it) it makes it easier to defend us.

I would have traded Randle last year. I'm somewhat indifferent on Clarkson. I do this there is a lot of negativity toward him for little reason around here. Guys like him will have a solid NBA career and help teams in the right situation. His shooting has been as good as Russell's was over the last 2 years yet everyone thought Russell as a shooter and Clarkson wasn't. The numbers showed something different.

I'll say this NO ONE CARES!!!!!!!!!! Clarkson will be gone the first chance we get.

Ha ha ha... just my post but you or is any post that is fair to Clarkson pissing you off?

No it's because Magic will trade him away in part to open up a second max slot.

[larry14r]

Kuzma has absolutely made Randle expendable.

While Larry Nance could play backup and shift to center at times, Kuzma is a straight up baller. They're trying to push him to the three? What about Brandon Ingram? It's a joke, they can't find enough minutes.

Clarkson's days are hopefully numbered, but there are still some variables. One, I don't think KCP is that good. Second, Paul George might not come. Third, Clarkson might show some improvement this year. Fourth, he's still signed on a relatively fair contract for a couple more years.

And Fifth who cares Magic will still trade him anyways.

[RingsDontLie]

Still like Randle especially after that dunk today. Every team needs an enforcer and I think Randle is that guy for us. Not sure he'll ever be a star, and that's ok, he can be very valuable in that enforcer/hussler role/rebounder role. But Clarkson is definitely the most expendable of the two. I think Clarkson can be that sixth man off the bench instant offense SG similar to Jamal Crawford. The real question is are they really that easy to replace? Who is out there exactly that we can swap them with?

[ROballer]

Give Clarkson's minutes to Josh Hart and he will run away with the chance....net value and positive impact, can't be worse than Clarkson even as a rookie.

People forget, but Josh Hart was cosidered a fantastic pick on draft day, even moreso than Kuzma. He had by far the better college career. Kuzma's eruption and the fact he got injured early in SL and didn't get a chance to show off his skills, made Hart almost an afterthought and people are sleeping on him.

He's the ideal backup for KCP IMO. Solid outside shot, better than Clarkson's and great defensive instincts.

If you keep Kuzma on the bench, you get all the scoring you need right there. You don't need Clarkson's ball hog ass.

[Ball so hard]

I think the better question is whether or not we should shop Randle (even without attaching Deng) the minute he starts to play well again. As some folks have already said, Randle is simply not enough to get rid of Deng. I get that we can simply let Randle walk at the end of the season, but why not try to get assets (picks or players that fit better) for him while we can. I think the odds of Randle being resigned by us are slim to none. There's a logjam in the front court and we need shooters badly. Somebody has to go ASAP. I'd say this season is as much about cap flexibility at the end of the year as it is about progress for the Lakers as a team. Draft picks aside, another bottom 2-3 finish and no star players will come here, including PG.

[scoobs07]

They need to trade both of them now. Unfortunately, Randle is going to have to be included just to dump Clarkson's contract. But they need to trade them now, before their trade value gets worse.

[larry14r]

They need to trade both of them now. Unfortunately, Randle is going to have to be included just to dump Clarkson's contract. But they need to trade them now, before their trade value gets worse.

They already tried with Indy and they didn't want them. So I don't think there is a market now for them.

[MelosSoreWrist]

Randle doesnt have to be traded unless it brings back a solid asset that can be used to help trade away deng. With what the Lakers have planned for the offseason, he cant bring back any contract. Lakers might be better off finishing the year with Randle then if they strike out on all the free agents and if they like his development maybe they swing back around and keep Randle for the future.

Randle is a luxury for the Lakers.

[Dr Aki]

lakers would solve a lot of playing time problems if they traded randle and clarkson

[Landsberger]

Moving Randle makes sense with his contract position for sure. Moving Clarkson would leave this team with almost no one who can get to the hoop consistently. In the brief few games we've seen with this group we are going to be guys who can score off the dribble and get in the paint. Not so sure Ball can do that consistently yet and KCP doesn't appear to have that in his game either. Ingram struggles with it as well. I'd say Clarkson fill a need on THIS current team. If we part with him I'd say do it at the deadline.

[Pointgod]

Yes both these guys should be on the chopping block with Zubac and Nance as well as long as the price is right. I'd trade Randle straight up for a first round pick would then be repackaged with Deng to clear cap space. I don't think Randle can be packaged with Deng because the cap hit would be too much but the minute he starts to show something we need to trade his ass. Clarkson is another story, the best we might be able to do is clear cap space. Lamb for Clarkson and straight would give the Hornets another ball handler until Batum returns.

[dockingsched]

I feel like people throw out the idea of getting a 1st for Randle or using Randle/Clarkson/some 1st round pick from somewhere to dump Deng a little too loosely.

If you actually stop and go through specific teams to see who would actually give something of value up and is also able to, it’s quite sobering. It’s why I feel that even if there’s only someone willing to trade an expiring at the deadline and nothing better, you have to pull the trigger. You can’t go into the offseason hoping someone will use their precious cap for him.

[MadNESS]

I feel like people throw out the idea of getting a 1st for Randle or using Randle/Clarkson/some 1st round pick from somewhere to dump Deng a little too loosely.

If you actually stop and go through specific teams to see who would actually give something of value up and is also able to, it’s quite sobering. It’s why I feel that even if there’s only someone willing to trade an expiring at the deadline and nothing better, you have to pull the trigger. You can’t go into the offseason hoping someone will use their precious cap for him.

I think a team like ATL or CHI should/would do something to this affect. Both teams will be tanking, and be bad for a significant amount of time.

[dockingsched]

I feel like people throw out the idea of getting a 1st for Randle or using Randle/Clarkson/some 1st round pick from somewhere to dump Deng a little too loosely.

If you actually stop and go through specific teams to see who would actually give something of value up and is also able to, it’s quite sobering. It’s why I feel that even if there’s only someone willing to trade an expiring at the deadline and nothing better, you have to pull the trigger. You can’t go into the offseason hoping someone will use their precious cap for him.

I think a team like ATL or CHI should/would do something to this affect. Both teams will be tanking, and be bad for a significant amount of time.

What would ATL or CHI want Clarkson for? They’d be better off using their cap to gain assets. The amount of teams with cap are less and less, so it becomes more profitable to take on salary for a price.

[Wavy Q]

I don't think you can even attach Randle or Clarkson to Deng in a cap dump, because they don't have the value you'd want to get back when taking on a terrible contract. Randle is gonna want a pay day, and he's not worth what he'll ask for, his game doesn't fit modern NBA until he can prove he has a reliable jumper, and Clarkson is just not a good player with minimal upside. If you're not going to be a part of a young core, why bother trading for them.

[tugs]

Still hoping that they sort these 2 out. I'm more inclined to think that the management and coaching staff has a lot more to do with their success than anything the two of them can control.

Randle can still be salvaged as long as he can control his reckless abandon drives and focus on a lot more off ball cuts and PnRs. He's **** talented with the ball, no doubt about that. But the construction of the team does not suit his style.

As for Clarkson, he's a larger target given his contract value. People can deny all they want about the skillset he can contribute to this team but he does bring a lot. Same as Randle, his game has been handicapped by the role given to him. Was supposed to be the PG of the future but everything went downhill with the Russell and Ball drafting and was forced to be confined into a scoring role.

Most of all, I think it's very hard to get invested to Randle and Clarkson because the higher ups and fans favor the promise of superstar potential from high lottery picks and from surprise gems that become flavors of the month.

These 2 are hard workers and rarely complain unlike Russell so I hope they deal them and find success in other teams.

[karkinos]

i was expecting a bit more out of kcp tbh, which was also pointed out earlier by someone else
that makes me think there is a possibility of still keeping clarkson.
i like clarkson (which is a big step for me, i've been wanting to trade his ass for years) but his focus needs to improve. still makes some rookie mistakes when he's the vet.

randle is absolutely expendable. i hate to trade him because his unique skillset of bullyballing with his size is actually one of the small ball skills needed in today's league. but he has proven he has like zero bball iq and hasn't gained a reliable shooting skill. his mechanics are better this year but a mid range J is not good enough to be a consistent primary weapon in his arsenal.