Clippers May Have an Ideal Trade Partner in the Pelicans After Latest Report

What the Los Angeles Clippers will do with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft remains a mystery. There has been a ton of speculation about whether they will stand pat at five and make a selection or if they will trade the pick.

There are legitimate arguments for each path. The 5-10 range in the draft is generally considered a tier consisting of similar-level prospects. The players in this range are mostly lead guards, which is not ideal for a team that already has Darius Garland in place. Trading down would still allow the Clippers to select a prospect they like while accumulating assets.

Making the pick, however, allows them to pick the best prospect available without overcomplicating matters too much. It's reasonable for the Clippers to just draft the best player regardless of his fit.

This obviously all depends on what is out there. GM Lawrence Frank will leave no stone unturned. If there is a trade offer where the Clippers get great value, they will seriously consider it. If there isn't a package that is worth giving up the fifth-overall pick, the Clippers will be happy to stay where they are.

Pelicans Present a Unique Trade Opportunity for the Clippers

One team that may be willing to make the Clippers an offer they can't refuse is the New Orleans Pelicans. Per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Pelicans are actively trying to trade into the lottery, "targeting a specific player in the top-10 range."

Getting the No. 5 pick would guarantee the Pelicans end up with the player they want. The downside for the Clippers is that since the Pelicans don't have a first-round pick in this year's draft, they will be left without a high-end prospect.

What they can get in return is future draft capital with serious upside or good players. It has generally worked out very well for the rest of the league to do business with the Pelicans, and the Clippers could take advantage of this.

In last year's draft, the Pelicans traded away the No. 23 pick and their 2026 first to Atlanta to select Derik Queen with the 13th-overall pick. That first turned out to be the eighth-overall pick this year, making the Hawks a massive winner of that deal.

Betting against the Pelicans and taking their future first-rounders is a smart strategy. Plus, New Orleans has several role players who could be of interest to the Clippers.

Acquiring Trey Murphy may be too difficult, but the Clippers could get a combination of Herb Jones, Saddiq Bey, and Yves Missi, in addition to draft capital, in this deal.

If the Clippers are looking for a win-now acquisition, the Pelicans can help there. If they prefer future draft picks, the Pelicans may be the best team in the league to trade with. Regardless of the Clippers' direction, GM Frank has to get on a call with Joe Dumars sooner rather than later.

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