The Los Angeles Lakers lost Steve Nash to a season- and possibly career-ending injury before the 2014-15 NBA season began and have hardly seen or heard from him since. Jeremy Lin, whom the Lakers acquired as penance for a first-round pick from the Houston Rockets this past summer, doesn't seem long for L.A., if his inconsistent play and impending free agency are any hints. Ronnie Price probably wouldn't be wearing purple and gold if the Lakers weren't so desperate for experience at point guard.
And his age (31) and performance (35.2 percent shooting, 29 percent from three) point to no better than an abbreviated future in the City of Angels.
Clarkson, on the other hand, is everything those guys aren't—for better or worse. Given how bad things have been for the Lakers this season, especially at the point, even the most meager qualifications are enough to push Clarkson ahead of the pack.
First and foremost, Clarkson is under contract beyond April. Granted, he only has one year left on his current deal, and his relatively minuscule salary for 2015-16 ($845,059) isn't even guaranteed, but that's still infinitely more than the Lakers currently have committed to Nash, Lin and Price once this campaign comes to a close.
Which is to say, diddly squat.
The Lakers' season was lost long before Kobe Bryant shredded his right rotator cuff and has only become more meaningless since. But, as Bleacher Report's David Murphy noted, that misery affords L.A. an obvious opportunity to evaluate the rest of the roster and proceed accordingly: "But with the Lakers’ record spiraling down into oblivion, it’s time to put more emphasis on growing young talent, and that means during the team’s own schedule. The postseason has become ever more improbable. It’s time to evaluate and build for the future."
As far as the backcourt is con...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
