Clippers' Direction With the No. 5 Pick in the Draft Is Becoming Clearer

The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the most fascinating and potentially most impactful decisions in the 2026 NBA Draft. Armed with the fifth-overall pick in a draft that is widely considered to be a four-player draft, the Clippers can go in a ton of different directions.

Trading their pick remains a possibility, but with how much uncertainty there is around the franchise, the least risky move would be to use the pick on the best prospect available.

Who that player is obviously unclear, but there may be one player who stands above the rest as a possibility.

Keaton Wagler Is Emerging as the Most Likely Clippers Pick in the NBA Draft

Signs have been pointing towards Keaton Wagler of Illinois as the favorite to be the Clippers' pick at five.

That's who Sam Vecenie of The Athletic had the Clippers take in his latest mock draft. More important, however, was his reporting.

Vecenie reported that the Clippers were digging into all the top guard prospects projected to be in their range before adding that trading down remains an option. He also mentioned Michigan center Aday Mara's name as someone the Clippers are interested in.

His note on Wagler, however, is more illuminating. Vecenie said that the Clippers are unlikely to draft Darius Acuff Jr. or Kingston Flemings due to concerns about their fit with Darius Garland. Acuff and Flemings would make for an undersized backcourt that could create serious issues on both ends of the floor.

Wagler, on the other hand, has been adding muscle throughout the pre-draft process, per Vecenie. The talented guard who came to Illinois at 168 pounds is now 188 pounds, and he should be able to add more strength going forward.

This nugget further strengthens the argument that the Clippers' best option will be Wagler. At six-foot-five, he also has more height than the rest of the guard prospects. He is also an excellent shooter, making his fit with Garland easier offensively.

Wagler is an athletically limited player. He is not going to get to the rim with his speed, explode to the basket, or dunk over anyone. He does his damage through craft and footwork.

In this sense, he is similar to Garland. It's not the cleanest fit, to be sure, but Garland and Wagler can make it work. Both players are savvy pick-and-roll operators who are elite shooters and passers. They would have a chance to be an elite offensive backcourt.

Physical and athletic limitations will remain, and this will create defensive concerns. At No. 5, however, it's impossible to draft a prospect without any question marks. For the Clippers, however, Wagler may be the player with the fewest.

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