Lakers Notes: Clarkson, Hill, Melo, Bryant

The Lakers believe they have a contributor in rookie Jordan Clarkson, writes Jovan Buha of ESPNLosAngeles.com. “I think we have a pretty good basketball player in this young kid,” coach Byron Scott said. “When he falls on his face, he gets right back up. He wants to get better; he works his butt off every single day. If you look at his first game [starting] against San Antonio, and his last game last night, he’s shown improvement.” Clarkson is averaging 13.8 points per game while shooting 40.4% from the field during his four games as the team’s starting point guard.

Here’s more from Los Angeles:

• Jordan Hill and Jeremy Lin are among the players whom Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders believes could be dealt before the trade deadline. Hill would probably garner the most in a trade but the center has a de-facto no trade clause in his contract, which might make a deal difficult. Kennedy lists the Clippers and the Blazers as potential destinations for Hill based on their need for frontcourt depth.
• Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant decided they wouldn’t work as teammates last summer when Anthony was a free agent, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. “It was a great visit. The conversations I had with Kobe was just man to man. We both had to come to reality and say, ‘Is this what we really want?’ And it didn’t happen,” Anthony said. The forward also added that he believes Bryant will not retire at the end of the season. “I know him, and this is not the way he wants to go out,’’ Anthony said. “I’m pretty sure he’ll do whatever he has to do to get back on the court one more time before he hangs them shoes up.’’
• Some people doubt that Kobe Bryant will be able return to the NBA from his latest injury, but Fran Blinebury of NBA.com is optimistic that the 36-year-old will silence his doubters. Blinebury compares Bryant to other former stars, such as Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon, who were injured late in their careers yet continued to play, just not at the level than people were used to seeing.