Jordan Clarkson seems like the perfect kind of rookie for the Lakers. He’s not especially young (though he looks like he’s about 14 or 15) for a first-year player, so he’s a little more polished as a scorer. The Lakers don’t need some total neophyte project in the second round. They need somebody who can contribute at least a bit initially.
Am I being too optimistic for Jordan? Probs. Second-round picks hardly ever do anything, despite the hype they receive from fanbases whose teams didn’t get to pick in the first round. He’s performed well in the D-League, as one of 6(!?!?!) members of his team who average 20 points a game. Add in the 8 assists he averages, and you can just throw out those stats actually.
I know Lakers fans are dying for some hope, so here it is: Jordan Clarkson is the next Kobe Bryant.