NBA Rumors: Should The Oklahoma City Thunder Consider Trading For Jordan Clarkson?
After suffering a disappointing season, the Oklahoma City Thunder headed into the 2018 NBA offseason with the goal of making a huge roster shakeup. They decided to trade Carmelo Anthony to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Dennis Schroder. Schroder is expected to lead the Thunder on the offensive end when Russell Westbrook and Paul George need to rest.
However, according to Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report, the Thunder still need another scoring option on their second unit. Fromal suggested that the Thunder should consider trading for Jordan Clarkson of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jordan Clarkson has gone through ups and downs in his first season with the Cavaliers. After establishing an impressive performance in the regular season, the Filipino-American guard found himself out of the Cavaliers’ rotation in the playoffs where he earned plenty of criticisms for being aggressive on the offensive end despite his poor shooting percentage. Clarkson may have some inconsistencies, but Fromal believes he could still be a great addition to the Thunder’s second unit.
“Despite his disappointing ventures in Northeast Ohio, he remains a useful scoring talent who’s comfortable creating shots for himself and knocking down catch-and-shoot jumpers—the latter more theoretical than anything else at this stage of his up-and-down career. And considering Oklahoma City’s bench finished only 17th in offensive rating last season, even the hope of a rise to prominence alongside Schroder is worth pursuing. This is a shot-in-the-dark trade, but that’s about all the Thunder can do right now.”
Cavaliers' Jordan Clarkson: Dinosaurs Were Pets of 'Bigger People' Before Humans | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights https://t.co/1Gu8HkAYIf
— Stormdrane (@Stormdrane) August 4, 2018
In the proposed trade deal by Bleacher Report, the Thunder would be sending Kyle Singler, Patrick Patterson, and a 2020 second-round pick to the Cavaliers for Jordan Clarkson. The deal works on ESPN‘s NBA Trade Machine. The acquisition of Clarkson will undeniably boost the Thunder’s bench, especially on the offensive end of the floor.
However, it remains a big question if the Thunder will find a success pairing Clarkson with Dennis Schroder in their backcourt, knowing both guards are ball-dominant players and have defensive issues. Also, Clarkson isn’t expected to become available on the trade market anytime soon. Despite his inconsistencies, Cavaliers Head Coach Tyronn Lue still sees Clarkson as an integral part of his rotation.
When LeBron James left in free agency, the Cavaliers made it clear that they have no plan to undergo a full-scale rebuild. However, their mindset could change if things don’t go as they expect next season. If the Cavaliers find themselves out of the playoff picture, expect rumors to circulate around Jordan Clarkson before the February NBA trade deadline.
