Given their lack of depth and the fragile health of Kawhi Leonard, along with their aging stars – Paul George (if he returns) and James Harden (ditto) – the Clippers need to find a player at No. 46 who can contribute quickly.
The Clippers are facing a host of questions as the offseason officially gets rolling this week. For starters, do they give Paul George a maximum-level contract? The nine-time All-Star has until June 30 to decide whether to opt-in and request a trade or take whatever offer the Clippers might make him.
He is reportedly seeking a four-year deal, one more year than the Clippers have offered, and it has become a sticking point.
Then there is James Harden. The mercurial point guard is a free agent and reportedly wants to stay in Los Angeles but is waiting on George’s decision before making any move.
The Clippers also must decide if Russell Westbrook is worth keeping or will one of the NBA’s top all-time point guards be trade bait like P.J. Tucker?
And, what happens if free agents Mason Plumlee and Daniel Theis decide to seek better opportunities elsewhere?
Regardless of how the next few days turn out, the Clippers will be looking to add youth, athleticism and positional versatility with their lone pick in the two-day NBA draft that begins Wednesday.
There are 58 total selections over the two days, and barring any draft-day trades, the Clippers will be idle until Thursday’s second round. The Clippers traded away their 2024 first-round pick in the deal for George in 2019, leaving them with the No. 46 overall pick to build out their rotation.
Given their lack of depth and the fragile health of All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, along with their aging stars – George (if he returns) and Harden (ditto) – the Clippers need to find new players who can blend into Coach Tyronn Lue’s rotation quickly.
Although finding a complementary piece for their lineup might not be high on their list of priorities heading into the draft, the Clippers must make a pick, and these are likely choices:
The Nigerian-born center is coming off a solid season with the Bruins, averaging 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots per game. Depending on what Plumlee and Theis do, Bona could be a certified understudy to starter Ivica Zubac. Bona shot 58.8% from the field, mostly on shots around the rim, and could provide defensive versatility, athleticism and youth for the Clippers.
Should Harden bolt, Mitchell could be a solid choice to fill the void. The talented point guard excels in operating the pick-and-roll with adept passing and scoring from the midrange. He averaged 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, but shot only 33% from 3-point range in 29 starts for the Gauchos last season. His game needs work, but Mitchell has the potential to be a solid contributor.
Edwards didn’t always show consistency, but he had an impact on both sides of the ball with size, length and lineage that is hard to come by. His mother was a standout at Cheney University, who played overseas. Edwards could develop into a dependable role player, given his shot making and athleticism.
If he’s still available (the Houston Rockets reportedly are interested in grabbing him with their No. 44 pick), he would give the Clippers a player who could shore up their defense. The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year grabbed the spotlight with not only his on-ball defense but his playmaking, aggressiveness and toughness. In two scrimmages at the NBA Combine, he totaled 27 points and 10 assists.
Simpson could be a solid reserve who can lead a second unit and impact a game with his scoring and passing efficiency. At Colorado last season, he averaged 19.7 points and 4.9 assists while shooting 47.5% from the field and 43.3% from behind the arc to earn All-Pac-12 first-team honors. Although not known as a lockdown defender, Simpson won’t be a liability on defense. He could be challenged in the NBA because of his slender size, but he uses his lateral quickness to make up for his stature.
