The starting five all-time draft busts for the LA Clippers

Chris Paul, LA Clippers - Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Paul, LA Clippers - Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Along with injuries and a discombobulated roster, the LA Clippers’ season thus far has been a roller coaster. While the ultimate goal may be to win a championship, it is safe to say the franchise still has work to do. Additionally, the Clippers’ front office gave up numerous first-round picks through the trade that sent Paul George to LA.

That said, the LA Clippers have typically found their foundational pieces in free agency. Still, few of their draft selections have flipped the script into an all-star. Especially within the last two decades, the only players to find their footing in the NBA have been Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Chris Kaman.

Furthermore, this leaves countless players in the picture for potential draft bust selections. This was certainly different from how things had been planned, but the reality is that the Clippers have not found much success in the NBA draft.

LA Clippers draft bust point guard: Shaun Livingston

One of the most questionable players in LA Clippers history has been the crafty point guard Shaun Livingston. Though he may be a beloved Clipper for many years to come, his tenure in LA took a drastic hit the moment he suffered one of the most threatening knee injuries in all of sports.

Moreover, Livingston not only tore his ACL but also damaged ligaments in his PCL and MCL, essentially placing the rest of his career in question. Fortunately, he recovered and developed into one of the best role players the Golden State Warriors have ever had.

However, the LA Clippers selected Livingston fourth overall in a draft where they missed out on quality all-stars in Devin Harris, Josh Smith, and Andre Iguodala. Though his career in LA would’ve likely taken a turn had he not hurt his knee, the outcome is that he is a draft bust for the Clippers.