The Los Angeles Clippers continue to draw the short end of the stick nearly six years after pulling off a fateful trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder for Paul George. Not only are the Thunder, led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (the man the Clippers traded to OKC in July 2019), the favorite to win the championship, they also have control over the Clippers’ first-round picks until 2027.
This year, the Thunder own the rights to the Clippers’ 24th overall pick — with LA having to move back six spots after OKC claimed the best record in the NBA this past season (68-14).
This has made it very difficult for the Clippers to fill the roster with young talent that could supplement their veteran core. Since 2019, the only Clippers draft pick to emerge as a solid rotation player for the team has been Terance Mann. In 2021, they let go of Quentin Grimes on draft night in exchange for Keon Johnson. Johnson ended up being a trade piece that brought back Norman Powell anyway.
Kobe Brown, Jordan Miller, and Cam Christie have yet to develop the way the Clippers have hoped they would, while Moussa Diabate has become a legitimate hustle guy — but for the Charlotte Hornets.
With the clock running low on the Clippers and their championship hopes, it is of utmost importance that they nail the only first-round pick that they have this year. It’s tempting to perhaps dangle it in hopes of acquiring a roster upgrade, but the 30th overall selection doesn’t exactly hold too much game-changing value for a trade to be worth their while.
With that said, here is the absolute perfect scenario for the Clippers in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Clippers must hope that one of Thomas Sorber, Liam McNeeley, or Asa Newell fall to 30
The Clippers fanbase must temper its expectations for the 30th overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. Only two in NBA history have made an All-Star team and an All-NBA team (Jimmy Butler and David Lee), while the average 30th selection is averaging 5.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game — stats that don’t necessarily scream out long-term rotation keeper.
Thus, expecting their 2025 first-round pick to be a contributor, especially right off the get-go, may not be the fair whatsoever. The hope is that those players eventually develop into someone who can stick around in a team’s rotation for years to come, and with that in mind, the Clippers have to be hoping that one of Thomas Sorber, Liam McNeeley, or Asa Newell fall on their laps.
Big man isn’t exactly an area of pressing need for the Clippers, but Sorber would come in as someone who can be a reliable backup to Ivica Zubac; last season, the Clippers had to rely on the likes of Kai Jones, Drew Eubanks, and Ben Simmons to fill some backup five minutes. That is not very good, to say the least.
Sorber is a legitimate rim protector with incredible defensive instincts, and he’s a monster on the glass — a notorious weak spot for the Clippers especially when Zubac is off the floor. Alas, Sorber’s potential to be a starting center in the NBA as a rim-running rim-protector has him higher up draft boards, which means that he is likely going to be off the board when the Clippers make their selection. (ClutchPoints’ latest mock draft has Sorber going off the board at 19.)
Meanwhile, McNeeley appears to be a day-one ready rotation option whom the Clippers could rely on as a sharpshooter off the bench — perhaps as a replacement for Bogdan Bogdanovic if the veteran marksman were to be dangled in a trade that could bring back a more versatile defensive weapon that could give the team meaningful minutes come postseason time.
McNeeley wasn’t very efficient in his freshman season at Connecticut, but in a lower-usage, lower-pressure role, he could very well turn out to be an instant contributor off the Clippers bench. Alas, ClutchPoints’ most recent mock draft has the Connecticut alum going at 25.
But perhaps the most appealing option of the three is 6’11” forward Asa Newell. Newell has incredible physical tools, and on a team with James Harden controlling the offense for nearly 36 minutes a night (provided he stays with the team), the Georgia product won’t be tasked to create much offense for himself — which is perfect considering how well he uses his physical gifts to be a menace on the interior.
In today’s NBA, size and speed matter more than ever, and the Clippers need an infusion of athleticism especially when they’re one of the oldest teams in the league. If he’s on the board at 30, then LA shouldn’t even think twice.
The post LA Clippers’ perfect outcome for No. 30 pick in 2025 NBA Draft appeared first on ClutchPoints.
