NEWSLETTER
It was a first-round exit for the Los Angeles Clippers and the future is uncertain as the team hasn’t lived up to expectations in the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George era. They don’t have a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft so let’s see the latest mock for who they will take in the 2nd round.
Mock: No. 46 – Jonathan Mogbo (PF – San Francisco)
The Clippers can add San Francisco’s Jonathan Mogbo in round 2 at number 46 overall. He is a late bloomer and is a little undersized at 6’6″ but he is a legitimate lob threat and an effective slasher. Also, he is one of the better playmaking big men in the entire draft. Mogbo is great at pushing off the glass and finding teammates when the offense is on the move.
Mogbo is the no. 40 overall prospect on the ESPN Big Board.
More Options at No. 40 for LAC
The Clippers could also add Kevin McCullar Jr. from Kansas or Jamal Shead from Houston. McCullar improved drastically as a wing in his time at Kansas but his three-point shooting will have to improve to help the Clippers space the floor. He shot just 31% from three in his career.
Shead was part of 120 wins in his career and is a great defensive player who would provide value early on as a backup point guard. He can manage the game while bringing defensive intensity that will impact other team’s guards.
Clippers Without 1st Round Pick
The Clippers are still dealing with losing first-round picks from the Paul George trade. LA gave up 1st round picks from 2021-25 in that deal so they don’t have a pick in round 1 to add a potential starter to their team or a pivotal role player.
The Clippers likely thought they would have a title by now or at least an NBA Finals appearance but they have neither.
More: List of Clippers current and future draft picks
Clippers Have No Draft Capital
Due to the Paul George trade and other deals, the Clippers have basically nothing in draft capital moving forward. Los Angeles doesn’t have any guaranteed picks until 2030. For a team that is still trying to compete for a title, this puts them in a tough situation. They will have to be creative in the offseason by adding veterans if they want to keep up in the Western Conference.
Even if the Clippers wanted to rebuild, it would be hard. They will have to trade major players and hope other teams are willing to give up draft picks. With teams understanding what situation LAC is in, it might be hard for them to get any deals done.
Offseason Questions For Clippers
The Clippers need to make a decision this offseason about keeping Kawhi Leonard and Paul George together. At the end of the day, if they want to keep George they will need to convince him to accept his player option for the 2024-25 season.
James Harden is a free agent and while he played well for the Clippers, he is 35 years old. Also, let’s face the facts, he’s no longer an elite player and probably won’t be worth Los Angeles keeping him around.
Then, there is Kawhi Leonard. Injuries to the two-time NBA Finals MVP have decimated his time in Los Angeles and we might be looking back thinking what if. Leonard signed a contract extension to keep him in LA for three more years. He played 68 games in the regular season in 2023-24 but played just 2 games in the playoff series vs the Mavericks. He hasn’t played 70+ games since he joined the Clippers in 2019.
