Virtually every one of the Lakers’ 2017 offseason moves was made with an eye toward 2018. Timofey Mozgov was dealt in order to create future cap flexibility, and L.A. only committed a single year to a promising young free agent like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in order to preserve space for 2018, when the club plans to pursue a max free agent or two.
In his latest piece for Bleacher Report, Eric Pincus takes a deep dive into the math behind the Lakers’ summer of 2018, exploring whether it would be possible to create room for two maximum salaries. While the Lakers don’t currently project to have that sort of space, the club is confident it could trade Jordan Clarkson if necessary in order to clear more salary from its books, a source within the organization tells Pincus.
Of course, as the Mozgov deal proved, any contract is movable in the right deal, but Pincus’ report suggests the Lakers believe they wouldn’t necessarily have to attach another asset of value to Clarkson in order to deal him, like they did with Mozgov. The 25-year-old guard, who averaged 14.7 PPG and 2.6 APG off the bench for L.A. last season, is under contract for three more years at a rate of $12.5MM annually.
Even if the Lakers move Clarkson without taking any salary back, the team would only be up near about $60MM in projected 2018 room, not quite enough for two max players, according to Pincus, who suggests trading or waiving Luol Deng‘s sizable contract would likely be necessary as well.
The summer of 2018 is still a long way off, and it remains to be seen if the Lakers will be able to lure one or two top free agents out west, but the ’18 class currently projects to be a star-studded one — LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Paul George are among the players currently on expiring contracts who have been linked to Los Angeles at some point during their respective careers.
For now, this all merely amounts to speculation. Clarkson’s 2017/18 performance will affect his trade value, and the free agent landscape could look much different for the Lakers by next July than it does now. Still, it’s worth noting that new president Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka are putting plenty of thought into what the team’s roster will look like a year from now.
Simple. Nick Stauskas for Jordan Clarkson straight up.
Clarkson’s contract is 8 million more than Stauskas and the Sixers aren’t going to take that on for a role player.
thank you, I wouldn’t even make that trade in 2k smh, we wouldn’t trade for him
Where you spending your money? LeBron? lol… I’m not even that much of a homer.
Under contract 2018-19:
Bayless
Fultz
Simmons
Embiid
Okafor
Saric
Anderson
Holmes
McConnell
TLC
Korkmaz
2019-20
Fultz
Simmons
Embiid – will get extended
Saric
Korkmaz
TLC
You’re point doesn’t hold much value if you look at Rodriguez and Bayless accounting for 18M last year. The going rate for a scoring SG as a 6th man type is in-line with Clarkson. Instant offense. Players making similar at SG – Crawford, Courtney Lee, Dion Waiters, Austin Rivers, Alec Burks.
Tim Hardaway just got a big deal.
If you’re worried about “salary”. Sixers don’t have to pay anyone except Embiid until 20-21 when Clarkson is a FA. Instead of giving a 35 yr old Reddick another 23M next year they could… idk split that between Clarkson & Covington?
What’s the point in trading for Clarkson though? He’s a below average 3pt shooter and defender. He has no fit on the Sixers. No point in taking on an extra 8 million for a bad fit
The Lakers wouldn’t have much leverage in a Clarkson trade if teams think they are trading him for cap space meaning the Lakers would have to attach something to Clarkson if they don’t want any salary back/get back only unguaranteed contracts. If the Lakers aren’t willing to throw in another asset with Clarkson, it’d have to be a salary swap and that won’t clear enough space.
His contract isn’t really insane for a controllable 2. If he was going to free agency he would be paid way more than 12 a year
He’s younger than most sixth men at his position and has a reasonable contract compared to other sixth men. So it won’t be that hard to trade him
This is probably why Magic is challenging him to be a top 6’th man in the NBA this year.
Ups the value if a team inquires
Clarkson is a decent player. He goes through month stretches where he’s a quality guard/6th man of the year level, and then he goes through stretches where you wonder why he isn’t in the D League. His streakiness is just like his 3 point shot. Still he can give you points in a flash and he’s making a very affordable $12.5 million for the next 3 seasons. If the Blazers can trade Allen Crabbe, the Lakers can easily trade Clarkson
All valid points, people go on about percentages but when you look at the big picture he’s a better overall shooter than dlo. Dlo was a hot commodity, people are trying to make it seem like the lakers can’t move these contracts, they had takers on deng as well but they can keep him 1 more year to lower the cost it with take to move him or stretch him. As much as people hate to admit it lakers are the best landing spot for stars because of youth and high end prospects and cap space.
dlo was not a hot commodity, the pacers didn’t even want him, that’s why he was moved to nets in a different deal and not to Indy for Paul George. And the nets are not known for making the best basketball decisions hahahaha
True on Dlo. Clarkson, He’ll be gone
By the February trade deadline, hopefully! W/Deng