August 3: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
August 1: The Pelicans have agreed to a one-year, $1.6MM with free agent guard Ian Clark, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. Clark’s deal is the standard minimum pact for a player with four years of experience.
Clark, 26, has been a key piece of the Warriors’ reserve unit the past two seasons, including the team’s championship-winning 2016/17 campaign. The Pelicans feel Clark’s postseason experience and ability to mesh well with most of the roster makes him an ideal fit, tweets Scott Kushner of The Advocate.
In 77 games off the bench last season, Clark averaged 6.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG and 1.6 APG in 14.8 minutes. The former undrafted guard’s strong suit has been his outside shooting; after shooting almost 36% from beyond the arc in 2015/16, the Belmont University product shot a career-best 37% from three last season.
The Warriors essentially replaced one sharpshooter with another as the team signed Nick Young earlier this offseason. With the Pelicans, Clark figures to see significant playing time for a team that is already excited for 2017/18 with the addition of Rajon Rondo, re-signing of Jrue Holiday, and a full season of DeMarcus Cousins looming.
Clark will likely fight for playing time alongside Jordan Crawford and E’Twaun Moore as wings for the Pelicans.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Nice move
Surprised he couldn’t even get the rest of their MLE. Could have been an extra 500k
Strange choice for him with Rondo and Jrue Holiday already aboard.
Oh wait he’s a 6-1 SHOOTING guard. Forgot.
On the positive side for him personally, he’s joining a non-playoff team so he could get bigger minutes then he would joining a contender.
Dude is 6’3. Not sure if you noticed but their are 6’9 guys playing center and 7′ guys playing small forward. Size and position in this new era don’t matter as much.
6-2.25 without shoes, so you’re closer.
It’s tough to be a 6-1 shooting guard and be successful in today’s NBA. The guys on the wing are 6-6, 6-7 generally. And who’s he going to guard….he has to guard the point guard so you better have a 6-6 point guard out there to be on the floor with him (Livingston.)
I disagree with your last point. Sure positions are interchangeable but that’s because guys are 6-7, 6-9. Size Matters more now than ever !! And not just size, you’ve got to be athletic at 6-9 and not Kendrick Perkins or Enes Kanter.
I’m glad Clark got a guaranteed contract for this year. Lot of guys in the G League would love to have his position. Great spot for a great guy.
Ha ha ha ha, ” Size doesn’t matter “, wink! Wink! Lol! But for real tho, when it comes to being 6-3, and you’re playing as a SF, it does matter vs you playing 6’9 as a center and 7’0 as a SF!
I still think Pelicans can bring in another Wildcat to the Team by Trading Solomon Hill and Jordan Crawford to Hornets for MKG, and a future 2nd round pick!
I also Believe The Pels can get a Straight up Trade with the Spurs by trading E. Moore for Danny Green! Now you have a Shooter and Athletics on your Team. If you want more shooters/Athletics on the team, sign K. J. MCDANIELS (G/F), and trade 2 or 1 2nd round pick(s) (2018/2020 or just 2018) for Joe Harris (SF) of the Nets (underrated player that can knock down some 3’s)!
While they’re at it they should trade Asik, Ajinca, and Pondexter for Kawhi Leonard
McDaniels signing I could see, Harris probably costs a top 18 protected first rounder until it conveys, they’d have to kick in more than Moore for Danny Green, and MKG could get a first similar to the Harris trade one I proposed along with those players.
He’s worth more than that! He must be not getting regarded as a PG.
He’s not getting regarded as a point guard, because, um…, he’s not a point guard.
Rondo, Holliday, Moore, Crawford and now this guy… They’ve actually begun putting together a nice backcourt situation. They’re going to be undersized but with good interior protection with Davis and cousins this may actually work. That’s lots of spacing on offence for the big dudes as well.
The only one of those guys that’s any good is Holliday and even he is second tier when you think about the other guards in the West.