The Clippers’ needs going forward are simple. They need a big man for the present, so center Ivica Zubac doesn’t have to play 33 minutes per game, and a solid point guard for the future.
The Clippers will be eyeing those positions during this week’s two-day NBA draft with their first- and second-round picks. The first round of the draft is Wednesday (5 p.m. PT) with the second round on Thursday (also 5 p.m. PT).
The Clippers hold the final pick of the first round (No. 30 overall) and the No. 51 pick, and there are plenty of choices to fill those two roles if they hold onto their picks.
The Clippers, who were among the teams linked to potentially trading for Kevin Durant before he was shipped to the Houston Rockets on Sunday, still could engage in an unexpected draft day trade, one that could involve Bogdan Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic, who the Clippers acquired in a trade deadline deal last season, has two years and $32 million remaining on a four-year, $68 million contract extension he signed with the Atlanta Hawks.
Unless a suitable trade scenario emerges, the Clippers will look to the draft for answers, preferably a young playmaker and a solid frontcourt player who can step in and create space in the lane, rebound and score a la Zubac. But any players the Clippers draft would be on a learning curve.
“I think it is important to add youth,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said last month. “We’re the oldest team in the league. Always the quandary that we’ve had is, you can have youth, but if the deck is stacked in terms of just your depth chart, you have a bunch of veterans ahead of them, when does the youth really ever get in the game?
“But I do think it’s important to have balance on your roster.”
In terms of youth, the Clippers could have their eye on Drake Powell, a solid young player from North Carolina whose draft stock has increased after workouts. He is considered by many to be a late first-round pick, with the Clippers and Celtics (28th pick) among those interested in the 6-foot-6 wing player.
Powell, 19, didn’t put up spectacular statistics in his lone season with the Tar Heels, posting 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, but his athleticism translates to tremendous upside. He recorded 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocked shots in just 25.5 minutes per game.
The Clippers could use the their first-round pick to select a potential backup for Zubac, a player such as 7-2 Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who is considered one of the most impactful yet undervalued prospects in this class.
The four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year possesses exceptional rim protection (2.7 blocks per game) and can disrupt offenses with his 9-4 standing reach and 7-6 wingspan. He averaged 19.2 points (on 65.3% shooting) and 8.7 rebounds last season for the Blue Jays.
Viktor Lakhin, a big man from Russia who closed his college career at Clemson, could be a solid second-round pick for the Clippers. The 6-11, 245-pound center averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds last season while shooting 50.7% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range.
Noah Penda, another big-bodied forward from France, has the size and shooting ability but will have to improve his speed and overall athleticism to compete in the NBA. The 6-8 power forward moves well off the ball and is a solid rebounder, averaging 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists last season in France’s top tier professional league. His size and skill, along with his versatility could complement the Clippers’ older stars.
The Clippers are coming off back-to-back 50+ win seasons, including last season’s 50-32 mark, thanks in part to the return of a healthy Kawhi Leonard, who finished the season on the court for the first time since 2021. Leonard, who will turn 34 before the start of next season, is entering the second year of a three-year, $152.4 million extension he signed in January 2024.
James Harden, 36, is expected to decline his player option and re-sign a two- or three-year deal, meaning the Clippers could again have one of the league’s oldest starting lineups.