Clippers' Perfect Draft Target With the Pacers Pick Is Obvious

With the 2025-26 regular season wrapping up, the Los Angeles Clippers are potentially facing their first missed playoffs since the 2021-22 campaign. The silver lining is that, for the first time since the 2018 NBA Draft, the Clippers could land a lottery pick if the basketball gods bless them. Despite the Indiana Pacers continuing their tank, there is still a very high chance (47.9% to be exact) that Indy's pick falls out of the top four and into the five-to-nine range, which means that they have to send it to the Clippers.

If that scenario becomes a reality, it's incredibly important that the Clippers nail this pick and draft someone not just with upside but also the ability to impact winning from day one.

The boxes the Clippers should look to check are guard play, someone who can impact the game on and off the ball, defend at the point of attack, and provide floor spacing with a high basketball IQ. One of the few players widely projected in that range who checks all of those boxes is Arizona freshman guard Brayden Burries. This season for the Wildcats, Burries posted averages of 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

On top of that, he was one of the most efficient freshman guards in college this season, shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from three on over six attempts per game.

Brayden Burries Is a Play for Both the Present and the Future

With the Clippers investing in building around Darius Garland, Lawrence Frank and company must understand that, for that to succeed, a defensive-minded guard is needed alongside Garland. This season in Arizona, Burries has not only been the tone-setter for their offense but also for their defense. From the point of attack, he is a menace, playing with a relentless mentality that creates tons of open-court scoring chances. He has great hands, moves his feet well, and has incredible body control and underrated strength.

To me, Burries has shown a similar level of defensive intensity and anticipation as Cason Wallace did at Kentucky.

Offensively, he is the complete package. He’s elite downhill, has great touch around the rim, is a quick decision maker, can shoot off the catch and off the dribble, and is a strong playmaker for an off-guard. It’s rare to find a freshman who possesses long-term upside and is as well-rounded as Burries.

Considering the Clippers sold off aging assets in Ivica Zubac and James Harden, yet appear committed to building a contending window with Kawhi Leonard, Burries would be perfect. He could come in from day one and be a high-level contributing role player on a cheap rookie-scale contract, and develop one day into an All-Star caliber player.

Considering the Clippers have no control over their own first-round pick until 2030, if they get a chance to select in the top nine, they need stability. Burries provides that stability while still offering All-Star upside, making him a dream fit in LA.