In several instances, when a player's name falls too far in the draft, NBA teams, like the LA Clippers, have made the mistake of following the trend to avoid being that team that goes out on a limb and makes the selection. This is understandable, but to a certain extent, as a lottery-level talent being available in the late first round or early second is a must-pick.
Furthermore, the Clippers could have traded up for Jaden Hardy or Andrew Nembhard in 2022 or even one pick higher in 2023 for Julian Strawther, but instead, their front office sat back, assuming the right talent would be given to them.
By sitting still, LA ended up with Moussa Diabate, who is not even on the current roster, in 2022 and Kobe Brown, a reserve forward, in 2023. Neither were bad picks, but the blunder of not being aggressive enough on draft night was made.
Moreover, Brett Siegel, an NBA writer for ClutchPoints, released a mock draft, and within, the Clippers appear to be holding themselves back with their decision-making. They seem to not be in pursuit of a name that took over March Madness, and in the end, they will regret it.
Walter Clayton Jr. is expected to be available late in round one, but ClutchPoints' recent mock has the Clippers remaining conservative
Inside ClutchPoints' Monday two-round mock draft, Brett Siegel has the LA Clippers selecting Ryan Kalkbrenner, a center from Creighton, at 30 and Koby Brea, a shooting guard from Kentucky, at 51.
Both are great picks, as Kalkbrenner and Brea are elite scorers with experience that would light up the NBA's Summer League and, more importantly, the 2025-26 regular season. However, the idea of not trading up for Walter Clayton Jr., a major prospect from Florida, will haunt the Clippers' front office immediately.
In his four-year college career, Clayton Jr. played 139 games and posted 15.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, shooting 44.4% from the field and 38.6% from three. He also won too many honors to count, but the biggest was his NCAA Championship in 2025.
The Clippers could easily move up a few spots by combining 30 and 51 to pick the seasoned guard, but Seigel has LA playing safe and sticking to the picks they have. This leads the Orlando Magic to draft Clayton Jr. in the mock draft.
Clayton Jr. has superstar potential, and it will be crucial for executive Lawrence Frank and the Clippers' management to realize that before someone else scoops him up.