Who The Los Angeles Clippers Should Target In The 2018 NBA Draft

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The Los Angeles Clippers in an interesting and rare position. The organization clearly made steps to avoid a full-fledged rebuild, signing Blake Griffin to a massive contract, acquiring Danilo Gallinari for big money and resisting the potential temptation to sell off parts for future assets in the wake of Chris Paul’s defection to Houston. However, Griffin was then dealt to the Detroit Pistons in what was a potentially positive transaction for the Clippers, further muddying the waters.

Now, the Clippers are in a position where they have a veteran-laden roster but also boast a pair of lottery picks in the 2018 NBA Draft. It has to be noted that the selections, No. 12 and No. 13, aren’t in “prime” lottery position, but the existence of capital is certainly encouraging and the Clippers could have unexpected flexibility should big man DeAndre Jordan choose to decline his player option some time before the deadline on June 29.

At the draft, it is unlikely that Clippers will know Jordan’s decision and that could certainly be an interesting subplot. More than anything, though, Los Angeles may look at its roster, realize that it is void of any ultra-high end assets and potentially look to make a big splash, either by trade or a home run swing with one (or both) of the picks.

There are a ton of moving parts here but, if the Clippers elect to stay put in their current positions, here are a few prospects that would fit the bill in Los Angeles.

  • Miles Bridges – SF/PF, Michigan State – This is easily the least likely scenario, as most believe Bridges will be off the board by No. 12 overall. With that said, it isn’t inconceivable that someone might slip and it very well could be the former Michigan State star. That would be a mistake by a few teams ahead of the Clippers in my view but Los Angeles could gain by taking a player primed to make a leap when arriving in the NBA.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – PG/SG, Kentucky – The Clippers have an odd backcourt, with Lou Williams, Austin Rivers and Patrick Beverley set to return for another year. In Gilgeous-Alexander, they would add a versatile, talented piece that may not profile as a pure lead guard but has on-ball skills and incredible length on both ends of the floor. Scouts differ when projecting his ultimate ceiling but he is a fun and intriguing prospect.
  • Kevin Knox – SF/PF, Kentucky – Knox could be a late-rising prospect, with some projecting the combo forward in the top ten at this late juncture. He didn’t always pop during his one college season but it is easy to be seduced by his combination of size and smooth athleticism. Ultimately, he may need to land at power forward but every team in the NBA wants players who are 6’9, can defend multiple positions and present a varied offensive skill set.
  • Collin Sexton – PG, Alabama – Earlier in the process, No. 12 or No. 13 may have felt like Sexton’s floor but he seems to be dipping a little bit as June 21 nears. If the Clippers want a pure point guard of the future, though, he’s the bet with one of these two picks. Sexton needs to improve his jumper but his competitiveness isn’t up for debate and that should help provide a relatively high floor.
  • Lonnie Walker – SG, Miami – As noted above, the Clippers have a litany of shooting guards on the current roster, making Walker a tenuous current fit. With that said, some would tell you that he is the best player available at this juncture and, if Los Angeles evaluates him that way, it is easy to justify pulling the trigger anyway.
  • Robert Williams – C/PF, Texas A&M – This pick makes more sense in a post-DeAndre Jordan world and that has to be said. Still, Williams is the best of the non-top 10 bigs by a significant margin and this is a reasonable slot for him to land in as a result. It would be tough to justify a pure center (which I believe Williams is) with a long-term commitment to Jordan but that represents the fluidity of the draft process.
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