The Cleveland Cavaliers have a good sixth man in Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson will be crucial to the Cavaliers success this season, if he remains in Cleveland.
Having a good sixth man in the NBA goes a long way. They often make the difference between a team being able to compete in a game and simply falling too far behind to be competitive. The Cleveland Cavaliers have a productive sixth man in Jordan Clarkson.
Jordan Clarkson is instant offense off the bench, exactly what teams are looking for in a sixth man. Clarkson came off the bench in all 81 games he appeared in last season and was able to put up a career-high in scoring with 16.8 points per game. Part of this bump on in scoring is due to the increase in field goal attempts (14.6) and a clear lack of other options on offense.
Cleveland will depend on Jordan Clarkson to lead the second unit. Clarkson is their most dependable scoring option off the bench and can handle an increase in minutes if necessary.
There are two questions with Jordan Clarkson heading into this season.
1. How will he mesh the Cavaliers collection of guards?
Cleveland has several guards on the roster already. Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Brandon Knight, Matthew Dellavedova and Kevin Porter Jr. Yes, several of these guys are on the younger end of the spectrum with upside and the others are older veterans. There are plenty of guards on the roster, some will warrant a lot of playing time (Sexton, Garland) while others will play when given the opportunity (Dellavedova). The other (Knight) is clearly a buy low option that might be able to resurrect his career.
What Cleveland has is plenty of guards and not enough playing time. Balancing the minutes between this group may be a bit difficult. It will be crucial to find the right balance between the guards and their playing time in order to get the most out of the group. If that’s not possible that could lead to another issue which brings up the next question.
2. Will he be in Cleveland when the season ends?
Clarkson is on the final year of his contract and will be a free agent when the season ends. It is easy to imagine Jordan Clarkson being sent to a contender if the Cavaliers struggle for the second consecutive season. Not to mention his agent is Rich Paul. Clarkson’s agent being Paul could mean he does not play out the season in Cleveland. Paul is certainly able to get players out of less desirable situations and onto teams that are more appealing in terms of on court success and overall surroundings.
A trade of Jordan Clarkson could clear playing time for other guards on the roster and set him up in a situation to A.) win and B.) get a large contract upon entering free agency, something that every player wants.
Just how things will play out will be interesting. If things go well, Jordan Clarkson could be an integral part of a team that is much improved from last season. If not, Clarkson could be one of many veterans who find themselves in a new city.
