{"id":16772,"date":"2026-06-21T16:02:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T16:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=16772"},"modified":"2026-06-21T16:02:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T16:02:02","slug":"nba-draft-who-should-the-clippers-take-with-the-no-5-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=16772","title":{"rendered":"NBA draft: Who should the Clippers take with the No.\u00a05 pick?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In what has been called one of the deepest NBA draft pools in recent history, the Clippers are in the enviable position of holding the No.\u00a05 pick heading into Tuesday\u2019s first round.<\/p>\n

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While their high draft spot is desirable, it also presents them with options.<\/p>\n

The Clippers could easily use their No. 5 pick and draft a player from the guard-heavy pool, or opt to trade down and gather assets. Additionally they could package the pick as part of a trade that would land them an established star.<\/p>\n

The Clippers acquired this top-four protected lottery pick from the Indiana Pacers as part of the February trade that sent center Ivica Zubac to Indiana, and the draft lottery played out as well as it could have for the Clippers, giving them their highest draft position since 2010 and a chance to address one of their needs.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s widely believed that the Clippers will hang onto the fifth pick and grab a talented young player who would bolster their backcourt and add the ball handling depth behind two-time All-Star Darius Garland that was missing after 11-time All-Star James Harden was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Garland at the deadline.<\/p>\n

But who?<\/p>\n

The top four picks are projected to be, in some order, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas combo guard Darryn Peterson, Duke power forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward\/center Caleb Wilson. After that, the Clippers will have their choice of the next tier of young players.<\/p>\n

The player who is most talked about heading to the Clippers is Keaton Wagler, a 6-foot-6 guard out of Illinois who can read the floor and attack from angles as a tall on-ball playmaker. He averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 39.7% from 3-point range as a freshman for the Illini last season and can play either guard spot.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Jeremy Woo, an ESPN draft analyst, called Wagler a smart player who can make last-second decisions. At 6-6, he could be a better fit alongside Garland.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has the size, and he has this brain where you see how quickly he\u2019s improved,\u201d Woo said during a pre-draft conference call. \u201cAnd that, to me, is the biggest thing. I just think people will continue to learn more about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: Who should the Lakers select with the No. 25 pick?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Paul Biancardi, ESPN\u2019s National Recruiting Director for High School Basketball, said Wagler is a surprise high draft choice after leading the Illini to their first Final Four appearance in 21 years.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cNever in my wildest dreams did I see this coming. He didn\u2019t have enough body of work and certainly didn\u2019t have the physical attributes at the time (but) he did have the skill level,\u201d Biancardi said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought about ranking him in the top 100 (coming out of high school) based on what everyone else did and what he did at the time. But I love the way he processes the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the Clippers don\u2019t take Wagler, they could take a chance on Mikel Brown Jr., a point guard from Louisville\u00a0who possesses positional size, shot-making skills and on-court vision.<\/p>\n

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Brown was plagued by a back injury that sidelined him for 14 games last season, but he tested healthy at the draft combine, where he showed that he has the kind of size and shooting ability that would add depth to any team.<\/p>\n

He averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists last season but at 6-5 and 180 pounds, Brown needs to add strength and weight to compete at the higher level.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my mind, him (Wagler) and Mikel Brown are outstanding,\u201d Biancardi said.<\/p>\n

But those aren\u2019t the Clippers\u2019 only options. They could consider Darius Acuff Jr., a 6-3 point guard from Arkansas or Houston\u2019s Kingston Flemings, another point guard.<\/p>\n

Acuff has often been linked to the Sacramento Kings, who hold the No. 7 pick, but the Clippers could upend the Kings\u2019 plans and take the confident guard who reportedly said he was \u201cgonna be the best player\u201d to come out of this year\u2019s draft class.<\/p>\n

Acuff was a first-team AP All-American after leading the Razorbacks to their first conference title in 25 years. He ranked third nationally in scoring (23.5 points per game) and 14th in assists (6.4).<\/p>\n

But he has struggled defensively, especially against bigger guards.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just the way I\u2019m carrying it throughout my whole career,\u201d Acuff told Clutch Points.<\/p>\n

Flemings is another guard who has been described as a player who can get to just about any spot on the court. The 6-3, 183-pound freshman was a third-team All-American as a lead guard with the ability to be a disruptor on defense, especially in transition.<\/p>\n

Brayden Burries, a 6-4 shooting guard from Arizona, boasts a polished two-way game and versatility, a style that has been compared to Orlando\u2019s Desmond Bane, with similar strength and physicality. After a decorated prep career at Eastvale Roosevelt High, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals for a Wildcats team that went 36-3 and reached the national championship game last season. His perimeter defense and 3-point shooting could make him a good fit for the Clippers.<\/p>\n

Woo said if the top four all go as predicted, that leaves the Clippers in \u201can interesting spot at five.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve got options, including trades,\u201d he said. \u201c\u2026 There\u2019s been a lot of interest in all those guys \u2013 Keaton, Acuff, Mikel Brown, Flemings. They\u2019re all different stylistically, so it depends on team fit and preference.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Clippers also own the Nos. 36 and 52 picks in the second round, where they have had recent success in finding developmental prospects who can add depth to the roster. Jordan Miller (No. 48, 2023). Cam Christie (No. 46, 2024) and Terance Mann (No. 48, 2019) were all late second-round picks.<\/p>\n

Read more Is California home insurance cheap, considering the risks?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s widely believed that the Clippers will keep the lottery pick they acquired from Indiana and select from a pool of talented young guards as they look to add ball handling depth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16771,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analysis","category-based-on-factual-reporting-although-it-incorporates-the-expertise-of-the-author-and-may-offer-interpretations-and-conclusions"],"yoast_head":"\nNBA draft: Who should the Clippers take with the No.\u00a05 pick? - Silicon Valley Moving Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=16772\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NBA draft: Who should the Clippers take with the No.\u00a05 pick? 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