Clippers' Options in the 2026 NBA Draft: Best Prospect Available vs. Drafting for Need

A fascinating decision awaits the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2026 NBA Draft. GM Lawrence Frank has a little over a month to evaluate the prospects and make his selection with the No. 5 pick in the draft.

The Clippers are in a weird position for multiple reasons. Unlike most of the teams in the lottery, the Clippers are trying to be as competitive as possible next season. They also have two superstars in Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard, so they want to bring in a player who would complement them well.

On paper, LA has a very specific need: a starting-caliber center. Their lack of quality and depth there proved to be costly down the stretch, and the Clippers can't afford to start next season with a Brook Lopez-Yanic Konan Niederhauser-Isaiah Jackson center rotation.

The problem is that there is not a single big man projected to be a top-ten selection in most mock drafts. After the consensus top-four of Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Caleb Wilson, the draft is full of guard prospects. That is one position the Clippers don't need much help in.

Should Clippers Prioritize Talent or Fit in the 2026 NBA Draft?

Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, Brayden Burries, and Mikel Brown Jr. are the next five players up on almost every big board following the top four. Burries and Wagler could play shooting guard thanks to their size, but none of these prospects is a great fit next to Darius Garland. Burries is probably the closest thing to a combo guard who could play alongside Garland in the backcourt.

So, should the Clippers draft one of these players regardless of their fit on the team? Or, does it make more sense for them to draft based on their needs?

The Clippers would have to reach for someone like Nate Ament or Yaxel Lendeborg if they want to target a wing, instead. If they insist on drafting a center, Houston's Chris Cenac Jr., Washington's Hannes Steinbach, and Michigan's Aday Mara would be the next players available. In that scenario, the Clippers could consider trading down so that they can acquire more future draft picks while still taking the player they want in the draft.

NBA history is full of teams passing on generational talents because they have another player playing the same position and later regretting it. Whether it's the Blazers who passed on Michael Jordan to draft Sam Bowie because they already had Clyde Drexler, or the Kings who passed on Luka Doncic to draft Marvin Bagley because they already had De'Aaron Fox, there are plenty of historical examples that the Clippers should learn a lesson from.

It's not like Garland is an irreplaceable, top-ten player in the NBA. He is a very good, All-NBA caliber player, but if the Clippers evaluate one of the guard prospects in this draft as a future star, Garland's presence shouldn't preclude them from drafting him.

The best way forward here is to bring in as much talent as you can and figure out the fit later. If Burries, Acuff Jr., or Wagler ends up being a star and you eventually have to trade Garland, that would be a great problem to have.

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