The Los Angeles Clippers should try and deal with the Washington Wizards for the 15th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
NBA Draft day is tomorrow and apparently the Washington Wizards are open to dealing the 15th overall pick. The Los Angeles Clippers should definitely take a good hard look at this.
According to Ben Standig of Sports Capitol, the Wizards are open to dealing the 15th pick in the draft if a team is willing to take back an expiring contract. The most likely option? Center Marcin Gortat. Gortat is owed $13.56 million for next season, but will come off the books after that.
We have looked at dealing with the Wizards in the past after the team lost to the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs and John Wall came out and said his team needed to make moves during the offseason.
The Argument for Both Teams
This makes perfect sense for the Clippers, should they have the right offer. With DeAndre Jordan likely heading out in free agency, the team should try and convince him to agree to a sign-and-trade. Jordan would opt in and be flipped to the Wizards for Gortat and the pick. The Clippers may have to take on a little additional salary, but that’s beside the point.
The point is, both teams benefit here. The Wizards get an athletic, defensive big who will pair well with both Wall and Bradley Beal. They have supposedly been in search of a third star and DJ could fit that mold.
Meanwhile, the Clippers get yet another draft pick in a deep draft and are able to ensure they have cap space available in 2019, which they are reportedly targeting. They would have three picks which would lead to an infusion of youth. The team would use the 2018-19 season as a learning experience and to evaluate their roster and then prepare for big moves next summer.
The Wizards will likely be taking calls all through draft night and the Clippers need to be one of the teams on the other end of the line with an offer for the 15th pick.