NBA Trade Rumors: Why the Los Angeles Lakers Can Afford To Be Patient When It Comes to Moving Jordan Clarkson
Recent rumor hints the Lakers may wait until the offseason to trade Clarkson
The Los Angeles Lakers have improved, but they are still far from being the contender they want to be.
In many cases, teams who want to be contenders but who are not at that point yet move some of the better players on their rosters who they do not see as being significant parts of the future in order to receive more assets to build with.
On the surface, that popular rebuilding move looks like something the Lakers should consider making with guard Jordan Clarkson, but they have not done so yet and there are also good reasons for why that is the case.
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First off, as NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski indicated during an appearance on ESPN's Full Court Press special, the Lakers believe that they can trade Clarkson after the season, Lakers Nation reported.
Furthermore, because they also have no reason to tank, keeping him on the team makes sense just so they can win a few more games. And who knows, if the team catches a few breaks, maybe they can even crash the postseason.
There is one more reason why the Lakers opting to hold on to Clarkson through the entirety of this season makes sense.
A look at the 25-year-old's Basketball Reference page revealed that he has been shooting with greater efficiency this year. Clarkson has also taken better care of the ball and averaged more assists per game so far this season, relative to the 2016-17 campaign.
To put it simply, Clarkson looks like an improved player, and if he can keep this up for the entire year then his trade value will be even higher heading into the summer. That means the Lakers may be able to receive better assets in exchange for a player who may be getting better and is also entering his physical prime.
Patience is often said to be a virtue, and if the Lakers can show a little bit of that with regards to the situation involving Clarkson, they may reap more benefits in the long run.
