For weeks, the LA Clippers’ draft interest has been in Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr., and Keaton Wagler. These three seem to have the strongest potential, and nearly every rumor has the front office picking one up. However, Jake Fischer of ‘The Stein Line’ reported that Brayden Burries, a standout guard from Arizona, impressed LA, and is “very much under consideration” to go fifth overall. This is shocking news, as all this time, Burries has been projected to be taken later in the lottery.
Burries is a phenomenal player with star expectations written all over him. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 boards, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals for the Wildcats across 39 games, while shooting 49.1% from the floor and 39.1% from beyond the arc. The 20-year-old also played extremely well in the tournament, where his team finished second.
At the end of the day, though, the problem lies in the rumor that the Clippers may plan to stay put and select him. That’s not a wise move, and it will have fans seriously questioning what the front office is thinking behind the scenes.
If the LA Clippers want Brayden Burries, they can easily trade back
It’s not a stretch to say that, in the event Brayden Burries is selected with the fifth pick, fans of the LA Clippers will be thoroughly disappointed. This is the first top-five pick the franchise has had in nearly two decades, and the front office would have spent it in a foolish manner.
The better way to execute, and a route fans would be fond of, is to trade back, with a team like the Dallas Mavericks, who have the ninth pick, take Burries off the board, and land a future asset in the process.
This is smarter primarily because there’s an extremely slim chance Burries is taken in the first half of the lottery.
Guards such as Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr., and even Kingston Flemings are basically a lock to go before him.
So, moving down does exactly what the front office wants in a significantly more efficient manner, benefiting the team in the long run.
That said, as Jake Fischer’s report stands, the Clippers don’t appear to have the right thought process. Burries is not a bad pick by any means, but taking him fifth would be nothing short of a mistake.
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