The Lakers stayed connected with one of their own on the first full day of free agency, agreeing to terms with guard Jordan Clarkson on a four-year, $50-million deal early Friday.
They liked the career arc of their 2014 second-round pick, privately touting his potential and work ethic, and planned to keep the restricted free agent even if he signed an offer sheet with another team, at which point the Lakers would have matched it.
Clarkson, 24, made $845,000 last season. A person familiar with his thinking called the deal “great news.”
The Lakers have more than $30 million left to spend toward next season’s payroll.