Keaton Wagler Is Now the Clippers' Only Hope for the Future

Keaton Wagler is the LA Clippers' highest draft pick since Blake Griffin. The expectation was already sky-high for the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The talented guard was supposed to be the bridge between the current iteration of the team and the next great Clippers team.

After the league brought down the hammer on the Clippers in the cap circumvention investigation, Wagler's importance to the organization has increased dramatically. Now, the 19-year-old guard may be the only hope for the future in LA.

Only Keaton Wagler Can Save the Clippers' Future

The Clippers are in a very tough position to add top-end talent. They don't control any of their own first-round picks until 2034. They have four first-round picks over the next seven years. Two of those are from the Raptors, and the first one isn't until 2031. They have the second-most favorable pick among Toronto, OKC, and themselves in 2027, and the less favorable pick between themselves and Philly in 2029.

This means that in all likelihood, the Clippers won't have a lottery pick until 2031 at the earliest.

It's not like the Clippers have a ton of intriguing young prospects. Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Kobe Sanders showed some potential in their rookie seasons and could become solid rotation players. Darius Garland could take another step forward and become a perennial All-Star player, but he will turn 27 during the season. They could get back a young player or two if they decide to trade Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., or Max Strus.

This just isn't the most exciting young core in the NBA.

That is why the Clippers desperately need Wagler to hit and become a future star. This isn't a fair expectation to put on any young player, let alone one without elite athletic or physical tools like Wagler.

The former Illinois standout has a ton of craft and upside to become a dynamic offensive engine. But the bar to become a high-level primary shot creator in the NBA is very high. There is a possibility that Wagler gets there, but it's certainly not a high probability.

If Wagler showcases a potential to become a true No. 1 option, the Clippers' future will look significantly less bleak. Once you have that player to build around, roster construction becomes much easier, even without any meaningful assets or draft capital.

If Wagler doesn't work out, however, then the Clippers will be in real trouble. No 19-year-old rookie may be facing more pressure than Wagler right now.

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