The Los Angeles Clippers had a very interesting season. They started off 6-21 and thanks to the Paul George trade back in the day, looked primed to give Oklahoma City a top selection in a loaded 2026 draft class.
Fortunately, the Clippers were able to right the ship, thanks to stellar play from Kawhi Leonard, and the additions of Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin at the deadline really infused the team with youth and more firepower.
Los Angeles also traded away long-time center Ivica Zubac to Indiana, and got a first-round pick in return. That pick ended up becoming the fifth pick in the draft for the Clippers, as the Pacers loosened the protections on the pick to acquire Zubac. Now, things are looking up in LA.
Having the fifth pick in the draft gives the Clippers a ton of offseason flexibility
For a team that has prioritized getting younger over the last few months, getting a top selection in this year’s draft is very good for LA.
They’ll have the chance to pick a blue-chip guy like Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Aday Mara, and others. They can also trade down if they want, get more draft capital, and come away with two young players in the first round.
The Clippers can also package the pick in a blockbuster move to stay in win-now mode and add a star next to Leonard and Garland. Maybe they join in on the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, or try to acquire Trey Murphy from the Pelicans and really upgrade their wing depth.
Leonard’s future with the team is uncertain, as the league has yet to come to a resolution on the Aspiration case, and there are rumblings that if he were to become available, many teams would be interested. So, if LA were to trade him and get significant draft capital back in addition to the fifth pick, that further helps their reset.
Having a top pick is very valuable in the league and for an LA team that is still deciding on its direction for next season, it helps give them avenues for the future. Whatever direction they decide to go in, they’ll likely come out huge winners on the other side.
For a team that has spent the last few years going all-in and not really having the chance to build a young core, logic says that they should either keep the pick or trade down and acquire more. Time will tell, but the Clippers have options.
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