Although Benedict Mathurin was a key piece of the trade involving Ivica Zubac, there is a world in which the LA Clippers do not match offers for him in the restricted free-agent market. This is because he’s shown concerns in certain aspects of his offensive skill set. But who will the Clippers replace him with?
In the Final Four of the March Madness Tournament, Keaton Wagler, one of the top guards in the upcoming draft class, impressed despite Illinois’ loss to the UConn Huskies, proving to be perfect to fill in for Mathurin’s sixth man duties.
In fact, Wagler recorded 20 points, eight rebounds, and two assists in 37 minutes, leading Illinois in all three categories. He tried his absolute best to guide the Fighting Illini to the championship, but unfortunately fell short.
LA is expected to be on the clock in the same range Wagler is projected to fall in, making this offseason a can’t-miss opportunity to avoid wasting money on Mathurin while also finding someone younger with more potential.
Keaton Wagler would immediately one-up Bennedict Mathurin as a sixth man
Although Bennedict Mathurin is a rock-solid sixth man who can consistently produce 20 points, he has flaws in his game, such as an inability to shoot threes and excessive tunnel vision, which are holding the LA Clippers back. Before Mathurin was traded for, the front office did not anticipate these to arise, yet they have, and now it’s time to find a solution.
One of the most effective that comes to mind is Keaton Wagler.
Imagine going from Mathurin to a 19-year-old rookie who shot 39.7% from beyond the arc in college on 5.9 attempts per game. That’s Wagler for you, and to top it off, he is an elite scorer inside who crashes the glass and can create plays for his teammates.
For reference, Wagler ended his freshman season for Illinois, averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists through 37 starts.
This sounds like an upgrade, and in no time, Wagler, thanks to his widened skill set, would be able to contribute more to winning than Mathurin can in the second unit.
Additionally, Wagler is a guard that fits like a glove next to Darius Garland, giving Lawrence Frank more of a reason to draft him.
So, as a result of dominating in the Final Four and several of the rounds prior, he’s pretty much convinced lottery teams that if they get their hands on him, they won’t regret it.
This is huge for the Clippers, if the Indiana Pacers’ pick conveys.