Clippers May Regret Letting Underrated Guard Go for Jalen Pickett

LA had to make a difficult decision to make room for Pickett, and they may have chosen the wrong player to let go.

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The Los Angeles Clippers made the surprise decision to sign Jalen Pickett to a two-way contract on Wednesday. Despite not having an open slot or a clear need for more playmaking, the Clippers brought in a 26-year-old point guard.

Perhaps more surprising, however, was the Clippers' decision to release Sean Pedulla to make room for Pickett.

Clippers Should Have Kept Sean Pedulla Over Jalen Pickett

Pickett is a more proven and experienced NBA guard, to be sure. But there is a reason the Nuggets didn't pick up his $2.4 million team option for next season. Despite desperately needing more contributors on cheap deals, Denver didn't think Pickett was worth a salary slightly above the minimum.

Of course, giving a roster spot to Pickett is not the same as giving him a two-way spot. However, Pickett had three seasons to establish himself as an NBA player, and he will turn 27 before the start of the season. He was never able to consistently be in the rotation in Denver, and at this point, his ceiling has to be considered limited.

The problem with Pickett is that it's difficult to see him in a limited bench role in the NBA. He was a very productive player in college. He can create shots for himself and others. He is a good offensive player with the ball in his hands. How he fits next to other offensive stars, however, is a big question mark.

His inability to thrive off the ball was the reason why he wasn't a reliable rotation player in Denver. He doesn't shoot enough threes for a point guard. He is underathletic, as well, so he doesn't have the ability to create good looks against the best defenses. He is a questionable defender, making him a tough fit.

This isn't to say that Pickett isn't a worthy flier. Given where the Clippers are as a franchise, taking a chance on Pickett to see whether he can finally establish himself makes sense.

What doesn't make sense, however, is Pedulla's release. Pedulla is three years younger than Pickett and may have a higher upside. He was incredibly productive in the G League last season, winning the Rookie of the Year award, averaging 23.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

Plus, his fit next to other offensive engines is clearer as he is a much better shooter than Pickett after hitting 36.9% from three on 7.6 attempts per game in the G League.

Pedulla was similarly productive in the Summer League. He struggled from the field overall, but still hit 2.2 threes per game on 35.5% from behind the arc. He averaged 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.2 steals in 25.2 minutes per game. There are clearly physical and athletic concerns with Pedulla, but giving up this type of production and untapped potential for Pickett raises some eyebrows.

At the end of the day, this might not matter. We are talking about two-way spots, after all. But teams can unearth real gems with their two-way spots. And there was a higher chance that Pedulla could have been a diamond in the rough than Pickett.