Of the teams interested in Jaylen Brown, the LA Clippers were one of them. They may have liked the idea of pairing Brown with Kawhi Leonard, and, of course, the Boston Celtics would’ve loved to have the fifth overall pick, as they could’ve drafted a player who fills a roster hole. However, according to Michael Scotto of ‘HoopsHype,’ the Clippers are eliminated from the sweepstakes on the 2024 Finals MVP because they used the extremely valuable asset on Keaton Wagler, and are “excited about his future.”
Now that everything has been put to rest, Wagler is part of the organization, and the Clippers are out of the race for Brown; fans can relax. It’s like a weight being removed from your shoulders, due to how foolish it would’ve been to trade for a 29-year-old wing in Jaylen Brown.
LA won’t regret using the fifth pick on Wagler rather than dealing it for Brown
Jaylen Brown is one of the best second options in the NBA. He proved himself during the Boston Celtics’ championship run, then backed it up by dominating while Jayson Tatum was recovering from a torn Achilles. That’s good stuff, and some very strong reasons to give him his flowers.
On the contrary, Lawrence will never stop, look himself in the mirror, and think, “Man, I should’ve traded the LA Clippers’ spot in the lottery when I had the chance to for Brown.”
Why is that? Well, for two reasons. The first is pretty obvious; a pick as high as fifth should only be used on first-option superstars. Brown is not on that level, and while still great, he may never be.
And, in all honesty, around the league, there is only a select list of guys that meet the criteria.
The second one stems from Wagler’s age and potential. The Fighting Illini standout is a decade younger than Brown and has already shown signs of becoming a stud at the NBA level.
From his time with Illinois to the combine and evaluation process, which Frank revealed following the draft, Wagler’s future is extremely bright.
Lawrence Frank literally laid out the entire workout process for Keaton Wagler 👇
— Grant "Money" Mona (@Gmona48) June 24, 2026
1. 1-on-1 against Kingston Flemings ✅
2. Processing Test (IQ/Character) ✅
3. Biomechanics Test (Athleticism) ✅
Then explained that they talked to everyone around Illinois about him as well. pic.twitter.com/31tdimpTZR
That said, regardless of what happens with Brown or the package he is moved for, rest assured, the Clippers did right by keeping the fifth pick and using it, rather than sending it to an Eastern Conference team for a second option.
There is no rationale they could’ve come up with if they had gone through with a trade for Brown.
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