Los Angeles Clippers: Trading up to the fifth overall pick makes sense

The Los Angeles Clippers should utilize the 12th and 13th overall picks in the 2018 NBA Draft to take advantage of the Dallas Mavericks in a draft-day trade.

The Los Angeles Clippers are the only team with two lottery picks in the 2018 NBA Draft. Instead of drafting two late-lottery picks with the 12th and 13th overall selections, the Clippers may be better suited in moving up in the draft.

There are some polarizing options that will be selected earlier in the draft. Center Mohamed Bamba is a very intriguing prospect and would be the perfect successor to DeAndre Jordan in LA.

Point guard Trae Young is an intriguing prospect as well, however, it seems unlikely that he will fall past either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Orlando Magic.

More from LA Sports Hub

Of course, there is also the trio of Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley III and Deandre Ayton. All three of which would be number one picks in their own draft class. Together, they are one of the best set of three guys in draft history.

That is unless they are all busts.

However, it is not the top-three that the Los Angeles Clippers should target. Instead, the Clippers should be targeting the Dallas Mavericks and the fifth overall selection.

Dallas, who is the midst of rebuilding, seemingly shouldn’t want to trade this pick away. However, with all of the hype around the Mavericks, the team looks set to contend as early as next year.

Superstar center DeMarcus Cousins has been tied to the Mavericks. So has Texas-native Julius Randle and, you guessed it, DeAndre Jordan.

It is the Jordan chatter that the Los Angeles Clippers should take advantage of. The Clippers can use Jordan (who has a player option and at most is only under contract for one more season) and the picks to move up in the draft and select a game-changer.

Trading Wesley Matthews in this deal is necessary to make the contracts work as well as keep the salary cap space for the Mavericks. Plus, Matthews has a multi-year deal that he is not playing up to. If anyone is going to get traded, it will be Matthews.

With the Clippers entering a rebuilding phase, the team can afford to take on this contract.

By adding the 12th and 13th overall picks into the equation, the Mavericks can add a shooting guard as well as small forward depth. Plus, by getting Jordan, they address the team’s need at center. They likely would have used the fifth overall pick to do that, anyway.

And while this seems like a lot to give up for the Los Angeles Clippers, it would be worth it. Jordan is likely going to walk away unless he agrees to this trade anyways. Thus, his trade value is small. Getting a fifth overall pick for him and two late lottery picks is a steal.

Because with this pick the Clippers can select Bamba, who honestly should be a top-three pick and would have probably been a top-three pick in any other draft class. Bamba alone will have more impact than the 12th and 13th overall pick likely would have had combined.

Next: Clippers draft profile: De'Anthony Melton

And while this would take a lot of moving parts to go the Clippers way, this trade is definitely plausible and makes sense for both sides.

Home/Los Angeles Clippers