Lakers Rumors: LA should bench Lonzo Ball for Jordan Clarkson
By Keith Rivas
It will keep the Lakers in the coming summer hunt
In addition to having this idea of how good his players are despite the reality, Magic Johnson is also under the impression that he could land multiple superstar free agents in the span of one summer. If any team were going to do it, Los Angeles definitely has the potential to do so.
Some of the team’s reported interests include LeBron James and Paul George, but they won’t want to join the Lakers if there’s dysfunction at point guard. Letting Jordan Clarkson start would also show them — because it’s safe to believe they’re watching — that they can function under pressure and that there are other guys on the roster that can step up and deliver.
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We’ve got to get out of our head the idea that Clarkson is a scrub. The Lakers could’ve let him walk a few summers ago if they really didn’t want him, but they brought him back to the tune of four years and $50 million.
Los Angeles could be a surprise come the end of the season on the lower end of the Western Conference playoff picture. If they can manage that, they will also be much more attractive to any free agents that they might be looking at.
Trusting in the process to the point where they let Lonzo Ball completely embarrass himself and then lose out on superstars as a result of that is the exact opposite of what it seems Magic Johnson wants for the franchise.
Jordan Clarkson is their best shot at maintaining and establishing some sort of consistency and leadership at the point guard position. Los Angeles doesn’t have to trade for anybody, they can just make a roster adjustment for a few games to see where that takes them and then go from there.
Unless they’re no longer serious about going after big names in the summertime.