Jordan Clarkson is looking like a steal for the Lakers

Being in the right place at the right time can make a player's career. Jordan Clarkson is in the right place at the right time. The second-round pick from Missouri toiled in the D-League before catching the eye of the Los Angeles Lakers. Once he arrived, the season was already over, and coach Byron Scott was not a big Jeremy Lin fan. Minutes opened up for the 22-year-old rookie, who is making the best out of the situation and playing himself into a guaranteed deal next season.

Clarkson's 9.3 points in 20.5 minutes per game don't tell the whole story -- he's thrived in a bigger role recently. Against the Grizzlies on Friday he scored a career-high 25 points, dished out six assists and pulled down four rebounds in 36 minutes of action. While those numbers are not common for him, Clarkson has improved over the course of the season. Since the All-Star break he's averaging 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists on just under 30 minutes per game. Those are solid numbers for anyone, but especially for a rookie.

Clarkson doesn't look like long-term starter material, especially with the league teeming with quality point guards, and the Lakers will surely try to upgrade at his position. It was obvious during the final stretch of the game Friday, when the Grizzlies put Tony Allen on Clarkson, that he's not a starter and probably will never be a go-to scorer in this league. Yet it wouldn't be surprising to see him stick around in L.A. as a backup. "He’s learning he can play in this league at a very high level," Byron Scott told the Daily News. "He’s also learning the last three or four minutes of the game is where he has to be at his best."

Scoring point guards are not a hot commodity because of how easy they are to find, but by guaranteeing Clarkson's contract the Lakers can have one who knows their system, has the trust of the coach and plays for the minimum salary. In a smaller role, without the responsibility to be "the guy," Clarkson could thrive. If that happens, this lost season could prove more valuable than initially thought. The youth movement will start with a potential top-five pick in the 2015 draft -- the real prize of one of the worst years in Lakers history -- and the return of Julius Randle. Adding Clarkson to that group, even as a peripheral piece similar to Ryan Kelly, could allow the Lakers to focus all of their resources in getting the stars the team needs.