Rumors have recently gone out that Los Angeles Lakers combo guard Jordan Clarkson might eventually ask for a trade after new head coach Luke Walton decided to relegate him to a bench role after being a starter for most of his first two seasons with the Hollywood squad.

Clarkson, the 46th overall pick of the 2014 draft, had been a full-time starter of former head coach Byron Scott last season. He averaged career-highs of 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals, and 32.3 minutes along with 2.4 assists in 2015-2016, as Scott chose him before D'Angelo Russell as the starter at the point guard position.

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However, Walton seemed to have other plans for the incoming third-year pro since Clarkson and Russell's roles have switched, with the former Golden State Warriors assistant playing the former off the bench in the team's first two preseason games.

Walton thinks it was not a big issue, though.

"I don't look at it as really coming off the bench as much as the way Lamar (Odom) came off our bench but he was really a starter," said Walton, according to SB Nation. "He played big minutes, played the end of ball games."

"Ginobili did it for years in San Antonio," he added. "It's really a way of getting a starter in with the second unit so you don't have a lot of drop-off. But he's very good at that role so far."

Walton was right about the 24-year-old Clarkson thriving in his recent substitute role as the former Missouri standout is currently leading the Lakers in scoring with 13.5 points per game on 47.6 percent field goal shooting in less than 20 minutes of playing time a night.

Sportsrageous indicated, nevertheless, that sooner or later, Clarkson might ask for a bigger role which may result to a trade demand from him.

It was also noted that one of the two potential All-Stars could eventually get traded as the Lakers will not have enough money to pay two "starting quality point guards" in the long run.

At the moment, based on Walton's rotation, Clarkson is the more likely to get a deal rather than Russell, the recent NBA trade rumors have hinted.

TagsNBA Trade Rumors, NBA Trade Rumors 2016, Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers, D'Angelo Russell