In a mock draft published by Bleacher Report, written up by Zach Buckley, the LA Clippers draft followed through with the expected pick and selected Keaton Wagler fifth overall from the Illinois Fighting Illini. But, a little bit further down, Buckley has the Golden State Warriors trading the 11th spot to the Clippers, where they snag Aday Mara, along with Jimmy Butler and Brandin Podziemski, for Kawhi Leonard and Derrick Jones Jr.
This is a great move all around, one the Clippers would accept without hesitation, as it strengthens their young core tremendously and, more importantly for winning in the moment, secures the best possible replacement for Leonard in Butler (once he recovers), who has exceptional experience and two-way abilities.
Unfortunately, Butler went down with an ACL tear, and has been trying to get back to 100% since.
Jimmy Butler replaces Kawhi Leonard to a T
Beyond the quality and long-term assets the LA Clippers would be receiving in the proposed trade with the Golden State Warriors, Zach Buckley, Kawhi Leonard’s position and contributions are assumed to be perfectly matched by Jimmy Butler.
Experience-wise, Butler fits like a glove. Though he’s still ring-less, the six-time All-Star has been all over the league, visited the NBA Finals multiple times, and worked with some of the best coaches in the business.
As a fit for the Clippers, Butler's is flawless; He’s a defensive machine who can do it all, just like Leonard, and is worth every penny he’s paid with three-level scoring and precise playmaking.
Just look at his averages before his ACL injury: 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals, shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc.
These sound fictional for Butler, considering he is aging by the day, but the truth is, he’s still as elite as they come and can help a team win it all.
All the Clippers have to do is wait until he’s fully recovered, which should be around the middle of the season, and they’ll be adding a true two-way superstar to their rotation.
That said, Buckley’s idea is perfect. It’ll cost Leonard, and Derrick Jones Jr., who the fans love dearly and don’t want to trade, but Butler is in the return, as is the 11th pick(Aday Mara) and a solid young guard with tons of potential in Brandin Podziemski.
How much better does it get than that?
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