The 2023 NBA Draft is just two days away, and the Clippers still have the 30th and 48th picks, though it’s quite possible they make a trade before the draft. Here is the latest mock draft round up focusing on the Clippers’ picks from all the biggest media sites plugged into the 2023 NBA draft.
ESPN (Updated 6/20)
30: Dariq Whitehead, SG/SF
48: Keyontae Johnson, SF
The Athletic (Updated 6/15)
30: Ben Sheppard, SG
48: Jordan Walsh, SF/PF
Bleacher Report (Updated 6/16)
30: Jaime Jaquez, SF/PF
48: Jalen Wilson, SF/PF
SB Nation (Updated 6/19)
30: Amari Bailey, SG/PG
Yahoo (Updated 6/20)
30: Dariq Whitehead, SG/SF
48: Jordan Walsh, SF/PF
The Ringer (Updated 6/20)
30: Trayce Jackson-Davis, PF/C
48: Terquavion Smith, SG/PG
Thoughts
I oddly like the picks at 48 a lot better than 30. Jordan Walsh is limited offensively but is young, athletic, and a ferocious defender who can already guard multiple positions. Terquavion Smith is an incredible three-point shooter with some playmaking capabilities – maybe a bit duplicative with Bones Hyland, but still good. I’d be happy with either of those guys, and while I’m not super high on Wilson or Johnson, they wouldn’t be awful picks at 48 either.
The picks at 30 are a bit more of a mixed bag. I’d love Trayce Jackson-Davis or Amari Bailey, with TJD as the exceptional college senior with a proven track record of driving team success and Bailey as the talented freshman with a top high school pedigree and solid statistical numbers. I do want the Clippers to take chances on talent, and Dariq Whitehead was the top high school prospect in his class – but he was bad at Duke and I have worries about his athleticism. I think Jaquez will have a nice NBA career, but don’t see much upside there. And finally, Sheppard had some monster stats his last two years at Belmont, but that’s in a non Power Five Conference and Sheppard was an upperclassmen, so I’m slightly worried at those numbers not being as meaningful.
Overall, there are no Kabengele or especially Oturu-esque picks here, thankfully, but hopefully the Clippers get the actual picks right on Thursday night.
