The LA Clippers ended the debate on the young center that will be drafted, adding depth to their big man rotation, by selecting Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Mistakenly, the Clippers valued his stock more than Ryan Kalkbrenner, who is drawing a strong trajectory of being a starting center for the next ten-plus years.
Kalkbrenner is off to a stellar start to his rookie season and has been arguably the steal of the second round. The Charlotte Hornets were thrilled to pick Creighton center 34th overall, like a kid in a candy store, as he has been phenomenal in 19 games, averaging 9.0 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 81.1% from the field.
Four picks earlier, Niederhauser was selected. This was not the best choice, as he is still not ready for NBA minutes and does not even seem to be nearing a role in the game plan, even through the Clippers' struggling center rotation.
The Clippers could have used Ryan Kalkbrenner to replace Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez has essentially been terminated from the lineup, and instead of giving the rookie center, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a shot, Tyronn Lue decided to accept the significant size difference and play Kobe Brown.
By no means is Brown a viable backup big man. He has posted only eight rebounds since fully entering the second unit on November 25th and has scored just 18 points, shooting 40%.
Additionally, Lue is currently playing him because he has no choice and does not believe in Niederhauser. The Clippers declined Brown’s 2026-27 term, leaving a relatively high chance in the air that he will not be on the roster past this season.
Moreover, Ryan Kalkbrenner would not just have been perfect for the Clippers; he is ultimately the ideal center in general. He is a near-guaranteed shot-maker with the best field-goal percentage in the league and can rebound at a high level.
Kalkbrenner would have bridged all the gaps left by Lopez, yet the Clippers chose their own path with Niederhauser and have to force themselves to remain patient, while the NBA-ready option is breaking out for the Hornets, who have more wins than LA.
This is heartbreaking, as Kalkbrenner was another center the Clippers were evaluating. Their preference for the player who requires more attention over the one with more college experience is shocking and suggests they may have been a bit hasty with the entire first-round drafting process.