The LA Clippers have the 12th and 13th picks in tonight’s NBA draft.
This is the first time the Clippers have had a lottery pick in the NBA draft since 2010. Many fans have been brainstorming trades to send away the team’s draft rights to get star players in return.
If trades are to be made, it shouldn’t happen with the picks. This is such a talented draft class and it’s not worth potentially missing out on. We have new leadership that’s here to help the team draft the correct players.
Here are a few reasons why the Clippers should not package their picks in a trade.
The Clippers should test their luck
This is our first real chance at having a grip on the draft. There’s new leadership in the organization to call shots, and we should test our luck. And late lottery selections have a history of turning out pretty well. They’re never overhyped and don’t necessarily have to live up to expectations the way higher picks do. Their ceiling is all their own, and sometimes that proves to be a better environment to develop players.
For example, last year, Donovan Mitchell was chosen 13th. In 2015, Devin Booker was chosen 13th. Dario Saric and Zach Lavine were 12th and 13th in 2014. Additionally, in 2013, Steven Adams and Kelly Olynyk were drafted and have became valuable role players. And Giannis Antetokounmpo was drafted 15th the same year.
Bleacher Report’s final mock draft has the Clippers picking Collin Sexton and Robert Williams at 12 and 13. If they become huge, LA would hate to have passed up on them before giving them a chance.
Utilize Austin and DeAndre
Austin Rivers and DeAndre Jordan are the last remaining fragments of the Blake Griffin-era Clippers, and a lot of people feel like we need to purge them to truly have a fresh start.
Don’t sacrifice the picks in an effort to usher in a new era. Why not kill two birds with one stone and send them away with other useless players, instead of picks? The Clippers have an assortment of players on the team that have proven they won’t be useful going forward. Get rid of the dead weight and package them together, instead.
Austin just opted in to his last year of his contract, so he’s on the table.
Embrace the rebuild
Build up through the draft. Don’t take shortcuts. Young players are what this team needs in the long run. It’s strengthen their young and hungry identity.
Embrace the rebuild, and don’t scramble to trade players. We’ve only been a sub-playoff team for one season now. There’s no need to scramble and rush and do a premature playoff push. We need to continue moving forward with a realistic mindset, and that means accepting that we can’t compete with playoff teams. and that’s okay.
It’d be a different case if we were one player away from becoming an elite team. But there’s a lot more work to be done. Instead of waiting around for other teams and players to make their moves, the Clippers should just focus on themselves. Get rid of any bad contracts or players , but not at the expense of draft picks. The Clippers are simply not in a spot to negotiate these picks with anyone. Homebred talent is always a plus, too. It’s a lot easier molding someone than forcing someone to fit into a mold.
Next: Jerry West's favorite prospect?
Stay tuned with clipperholics.com through the draft for more Clippers updates.