Armed with 46th pick, Clippers could find production in draft
In what is deemed a poor star-level draft, there is still plenty of depth.
The NBA Draft is a crapshoot.
You know it, the teams know it, and everyone who follows and watches knows it. There’s no tried and true method to finding the best talent available for your team. It’s akin to buying a lottery ticket and waiting years to see the right numbers pop up on the big screen.
As such, teams that pick in the middle of the second round can still find value and production at that point in the draft. Is it common? Not at all. But it does happen, and a slew of players have been picked in the 41-60 range that have gone on to have successful careers.
Paul Millsap was the 47th pick in 2006 and went on to have a long, productive career. Same with Marc Gasol and the 48th pick in 2007. Manu Ginobili was the 57th pick in 1999. And, of course, there’s Nikola Jokic, who was selected 41st overall in 2014. Those are just a handful of the players who have gone on to great things after being picked in the latter stages of the draft.
Even the Clippers have found success in that range with Terance Mann (48th in 2019). And the Clippers now have to go back to the drawing board with the 46th pick in June’s draft and hope to find another productive contributor for a team that needs help in the athleticism department and getting younger.
With that said, here are five potential players in that prospective draft range that could fit what the Clippers need and are looking for.
ADEM BONA .:. C .:. UCLA
The Nigerian-born big man spent two years at UCLA and is coming off a season in which he averaged 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game. Bona shot 58.8% from the field, mostly on a heavy diet of shots around the rim, and profiles as the type of athletic big man who could make an impact in the league thanks to his rim running, defensive versatility, and shot-blocking.
Bona officially measured 6’8¼” (without shoes) and 243 pounds while registering a 7’3¾” wingspan. The 21-year-old played two scrimmage games at the NBA combine and put up 10 points, eight rebounds, and a block in 23 minutes during the second of those games. With the Clippers officially having no backup center on a guaranteed contract for the 2024-25 season, Bona could make the case as someone who fits as they look for more athleticism and youth, something that Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank specifically mentioned during his end-of-season presser.
OSO IGHODARO .:. F/C .:. MARQUETTE
The soon-to-be 22-year-old is an intriguing player from an athleticism standpoint, especially when coupled with his ability on both ends of the floor. Ighodaro spent four years at Marquette and averaged 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and over one steal and one block per game in his final season.
The interesting part with Ighodaro is that he has a center’s game with a forward’s frame. Officially measuring in at 6’9½” and 222 pounds with a 6’11” wingspan, Ighodaro spent the majority of his time around the rim and really has no semblance of offensive game outside of the paint. However, his defensive versatility and athleticism could find him on the floor for a team that needs more of that as long as they can find ways around his lack of spacing.
ALEX KARABAN .:. F .:. CONNECTICUT
Whether or not they’re willing to publicly admit it, the Clippers had a shooting and spacing problem this past season and into the playoffs. That could partly be remedied with the arrival of Karaban. The 21-year-old is coming off back-to-back national championships with Connecticut and averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and shot 49.5% overall and 37.9% on 3s last season.
Karaban’s ability as a floor-spacer and off-ball threat with his spot-up shooting and penchant for cutting would fit in with a Clippers team that needs more of that. Karaban isn’t the best athlete and his measurables aren’t jaw-dropping — 6’6½” with a 6’11” wingspan and 32-inch vertical — but he supplies the Clippers with much-needed offensive utility. On top of that, 89% of Karaban’s shots last season were either at the rim or 3s. That would fit well as a complimentary piece.
JAMAL SHEAD .:. PG .:. HOUSTON
The Clippers are in the market for a bit better point-of-attack defense, especially from their backcourt, and one of the names who fits that bill in the draft is Houston’s Jamal Shead. The guard averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.2 steals last season as a senior. While Shead wasn’t a stellar shooter by any means — just 40.9% overall — he did get to the rim at a good rate and converted solidly there. It was just from the outside where he truly struggled.
The 21-year-old won the Big 12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year last season, and the experience factor could help the Clippers as they look to shore up things. Shead suffered an ankle injury in the Elite Eight but did play at the combine. Officially, the guard measured in at 6’0¼” and 201 pounds with a 6’3” wingspan. Shead’s defense, playmaking, decision-making, and toughness are things that could intrigue the Clippers.
BRONNY JAMES .:. G .:. USC
The scoffing can be heard, but just look at this objectively. A guard who supplies athleticism, defense, good decisions, and toughness is one who can find their way into the NBA, and definitely in the second round. James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last season for USC. James suffered a cardiac arrest event but was cleared by the NBA panel who evaluated him.
James measured in at 6’1½” without shoes and weighed 210 pounds with a 6’7¼” wingspan. More impressively, James displayed a 40½” vertical and showed improvements with his shooting by going 19-for-25 in the 3-point shooting drill at the combine. Considering the circumstances James dealt with and the progress he’s made both on and off the floor, that type of player is someone the Clippers could look at if they’re still in on their “Clipper mindset” and embracing toughness and good-character players.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Tyler Kolek .:. G .:. Marquette — The 6’1” guard was a three-year starter at Marquette after transferring from George Mason, averaging 15.3 points and 7.7 assists last season while shooting 49.6% from the field and 38.8% on 3s. Kolek measured in at 197 pounds with a 6’3” wingspan. The 23-year-old is a great shooter, good around the rim, and runs the point well. You can do worse for a reserve guard.
Nikola Đurišić .:. G/F .:. Mega MIS — One of the more compelling players in the draft, Đurišić officially measured 6’7” and 209 pounds at the combine with a 6’8” wingspan. But Đurišić’s offensive potential appears to be through the roof after averaging 14.4 points as a 20-year-old in Serbia. Đurišić’s range is all over the place, but if he’s on the board at 46 overall, his size, overall offensive repertoire, and age could make him a worthwhile gamble at this stage.