Clippers mock draft roundup: Los Angeles wants a dynamic guard

The Los Angeles Clippers are on the clock. They have a potential franchise-altering decision to make on how creative they will get this summer with the rights to the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

A lot will factor into their moves including what they will do with superstar Kawhi Leonard, but it seems a trade is evitable. Their options are either moving on from Leonard and trading him for draft capital or good players, which seems unlikely.

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During an appearance on Third Apron Podcast with Yossi Gozlan, Law Murray — the Clippers beat writer for The Athletic — said its plausible they will double down on the Leonard era and draft a solid prospect or trade the No. 5 pick for “ready-now” assets.

“The best case is the Clippers just keeping Kawhi and making it work, because Kawhi is clearly the best of those players,” Murray said. “And I don’t think that draft capital is worth trading him for the dudes who would be coming back. Like the floor of those dudes are in the basement. That’s a problem.”

With the Clippers picking No. 5, they need to find a replacement for their former starting center Ivica Zubac, who they traded during the season to the Indiana Pacers.

In addition, they need to find a player who is young, athletic and a playmaker who can both score and facilitate the Clipper offense. They went out and got a player who does that in Darius Garland who was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers for James Harden.

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The Clippers have been linked to a number of guard prospects in this year’s draft class.

USA TODAY Sports’ Bryan Kalbrosky has the Clippers going with Kingston Flemings, the 19-year-old guard out of Houston, with the draft’s fifth overall selection. Kalbrosky doesn’t expect it to take long for Flemings’ name to be called. The Houston guard stands at 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-4 wingspan.

“The Clippers received this pick from the Indiana Pacers and when they are on the clock at No. 5 overall, look for them to potentially call on Houston freshman Kingston Flemings. The All-Big 12 guard has several games when he has recorded at least three steals, notching eight against…

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Publish date : 2026-05-27 11:01:00

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