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Clippers 2025 Mock Draft Roundup: One Week Before Draft Edition
The 2025 NBA Draft is just a week away, so let’s do a quick
round up of who all the most plugged-in draft writers have the Clippers taking
with the 30th and 51st picks.
ESPN: Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (Updated June 17)
Clippers Pick 30: Noah Penda (SF/PF, Le Mans)
Explanation: “Due to their hefty payroll, the Clippers should see value in rostering a rookie who can contribute with this pick. Finding someone who can complement their stars on a cost-controlled deal would be a win.
Penda has been an interesting sleeper name for teams due to his multipositional versatility, capable of playing all over the floor on offense and also defending several spots. While his perimeter shooting and limited run-jump athleticism are question marks for teams, his feel, skill and size are all nice selling points.
There remains curiosity among teams as to whether Penda will agree to be stashed overseas for another season, something that could help his chances of finding a comfortable draft slot.”
Clippers Pick 51: Viktor Lakhin (C, Clemson)
Bleacher Report: Jonathan Wasserman (Updated June 18)
Clippers Pick 30: Ben Saraf (PG/SG, Ratiopharm Ulm)
Explanation: “Ben Saraf has scored double figures in every playoff game through two rounds in Germany’s BBL. Slashing, mid-range scoring and playmaking IQ are behind the 19-year-old’s consistent production and NBA interest. But with questions about his three-point range and defense, and no opportunity yet to get in front of NBA teams with Ulm still going strong, the first round no longer seems like a lock.”
Clippers Pick 51: Mark Sears (PG, Alabama)
The Athletic: Sam Vecenie (Updated June 12)
Clippers Pick 30: Drake Powell (SG, North Carolina)
Explanation: “Powell has some momentum to end up somewhere in the back half of the first round because of his defense. Nobody guarded Flagg as well as Powell did this season. He’s just a long way away on offense, as he’s not that comfortable as a shooter or that capable as a ballhandler. It’s going to take him some time to play at the NBA level, even with his defensive skill. Still, he’s 6-5 with a 7-foot wingspan and is the kind of player the Clippers value as a tough-minded defender.”
Clippers Pick 51: Kobe Sanders (SF, Nevada)
The Ringer: J Kyle Mann & Danny Chau (Updated June 12)
Clippers Pick 30: Adou Thiero (SF/PF, Arkansas)
Explanation: “I’m of two minds when it comes to whether Thiero can contribute to an older team like the Clippers. On the one hand, he’ll need reps to expand his offensive game, which could be hard to come by. And if his shooting fails to stabilize—he’s mostly relegated to stationary catch-and-shoot looks right now—and he doesn’t make progress moving the ball within the offense, his career might hover in a stasis. On the other hand, Thiero is the type of possession-generating machine who could carve out a role for himself on a squad that could use the athletic splash. He’s a terror on the glass and tries, sometimes at the peril of his own safety, to dunk everything. I would enjoy this fit.”
Clippers Pick 51: N/A
Summary
There is not a single duplication here: every single site has the Clippers picking a different player both at 30 and 51. That does mean that the Clippers haven’t given anything obvious away, but it’s also realistic, as it’s impossible to predict exactly which players will or won’t be available that deep into the draft.
Looking at these players, there are a few patterns to sort through. All but one of the mocks had the Clippers selecting a wing of some kind at 30, with Ben Saraf (who is a large guard) being the lone exception. That tracks for the Clippers, who have largely been wing-obsessed in recent years but also have to account for Kawhi Leonard’s lack of availability and Nic Batum’s age.
The other interesting item is that of the seven players mocked to the Clippers, only one is a center, despite the Clippers’ glaring hole at backup big. That could mean something, or it could mean nothing. I would say I’d be slightly surprised if the Clippers didn’t take a point guard or big man with one of their picks, even if the other is a wing of some kind.
Looking at the mock drafts, it does seem very likely that the best players on the board at 30 will be wings or forwards, so it makes sense that the Clippers would take one. We will keep an eye on the mock boards and see if any consensus emerges in the coming days.
Clippers 2025 Mock Draft Roundup: One Week Before Draft Edition
Robert Flom