Earl Clark: ‘I want to be a Laker’ next season
Earl Clark was in line for a substantial pay raise after breaking free of an otherwise mundane four-year career.
Then came March and April.
The Lakers forward lost his spot in the starting lineup when Pau Gasol returned from a foot injury; Clark also lost his scoring touch. He averaged only 3.5 points in four playoff games, including a spot start in Game 4 after Metta World Peace was unable to play.
Clark, 25, made $1.2 million this season and would return to the Lakers as a free agent if he didn’t want too much of a raise.
“I want to be a Laker,†he said Monday. “I had a lot of fun this season. It’s the first season I got an opportunity to play and just show people, the world, what I can do. I hope everything works out and I come back. I definitely don’t want to leave here being on one of the worst Laker teams in history. I don’t want to be a part of that.â€
Clark averaged 10.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in January and February but dropped to 5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in March and April.
ALSO:
Via Twitter, Dwight Howard apologizes for ejection
Mike D’Antoni proud of team, despite ‘doomed’ season
Metta World Peace wants to help the Lakers win another title
All things Lakers, all the time.
Get all the Lakers news you need in Dan Woike's weekly newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
