The Los Angeles Clippers won’t get to pick until No. 48 in the 2019 NBA Draft. What players should still be around for them to take?
The Los Angeles Clippers were one of the biggest pleasant surprises in the league this past season. Their NBA Draft pick was figured to go high in the lottery. But a strong start to the season put them in a good position to make the playoffs. And even after trading away their leading scorer Tobias Harris to the 76ers, the Clippers pushed on to finish with a 48-34 record and an eight seed in the western conference.
Los Angeles is built for a great future, possibly getting two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in free agency. They have a ton of cap room, as well as assets that include multiple future first-round draft picks.
They won’t have any this upcoming draft due to past moves but do have a pair of second rounders at No. 48 and 56. Oddly enough, the Clippers don’t usually have picks in the ladder half of the draft, with just one (Cheick Diallo) since 2013.
As good as the recent run of playoff appearances have been for the franchise, their draft picks have been anything but. When they aren’t trading them away, the Clippers have hit far more than they missed. After Blake Griffin in 2009, only lottery pick Al-Farouq Aminu at No. 8 the following year has worked out in terms of being a consistent contributor in the NBA.
This upcoming draft may not be deep in terms of franchise-caliber players but there are some second-round picks who could make an impact with Los Angeles. At No. 48, who are some realistic options they should take a look at?