After giving the Oklahoma City Thunder a brand new future with a rising superstar who flashed potential as a rookie, the LA Clippers were on thin ice with what they had left in draft capital. They could not afford to mess anything up because if a championship were not brought in, LA's regret in trading with the Thunder would be taken to an even greater extent.
Unfortunately, the Clippers were so focused on winning that they completely neglected the talent they were selecting in the offseason. Additionally, the front office could have made better picks in the draft, but instead, they went with who they thought would fit, and these mistakes were costly.
One of the talents that the front office never prioritized was Brandon Boston Jr. He had elite scoring potential and could have risen to an established bucket-getter, but Lue never gave him the minutes that would allow him to flourish.
Thus, the front office had a small sample size at hand in the film room to see what he was capable of, and in the end, not enough was shown. As a result, his qualifying offer in LA was declined, and the former 51st overall pick became an unrestricted free agent.
After just one month with the San Antonio Spurs, the New Orleans Pelicans claimed him on a two-way contract. He climbed the minutes' ladder, demonstrated greatness, and was eventually signed to a long-term deal.
Though the start of his journey with the Pelicans sounded like a dream from a fictional story, Boston Jr. hurt his ankle mid-season and required surgery. This set him back drastically for next season and even more so now, following New Orleans' latest trade.
The New Orleans Pelicans put Brandon Boston Jr. in a tough rotational spot by trading with the Indiana Pacers for picks
At around noon on Tuesday, New Orleans moved up in the 2025 NBA Draft by receiving the 23rd overall pick and Mojave King from the Indiana Pacers. This not only adds to their rotation but head coach Willie Green may also prioritize the eventual seventh and twenty-third selections over Brandon Boston Jr.
NBA draft deal: The Indiana Pacers are trading their No. 23 pick and the rights to Mojave King to the New Orleans Pelicans for Indiana's own 2026 first-round pick back which the Pelicans had previously acquired, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2025
Life next season regarding basketball was already going to be a challenge for Boston Jr., as the Pelicans would regain health after being one of the most injury-riddled teams during the 2024-25 season. Still, with the extra bit of young talent, he would have to work harder than ever to land a consistent 15 minutes per game.