We are just two weeks out from the 2026 NBA Draft, which means it’s time for another roundup of mock drafts to see who the experts have the Clippers taking at 5.
ESPN: Keaton Wagler
“The most popular names here have been Wagler and Darius Acuff Jr., with the presence of smaller starting point guard Darius Garland making Wagler the cleaner fit. While Wagler’s high-end outcomes are as a lead playmaker, playing alongside a veteran ball handler to begin his career would be beneficial and relieve some of the immediate pressure.
NBA teams got official measurements on Wagler for the first time at the combine, and he unsurprisingly has excellent size for a ball handler at 6-5 barefoot. He is not overly long, measuring with a plus-1¼ wingspan, and tested in the middle of the pack athletically. Any concerns about his explosiveness aren’t expected to heavily impact his draft stock, with his range seemingly a narrow band of teams outside the top four, also including the Nets, Kings and Hawks.”
The Athletic: Keaton Wagler (Formerly Wagler)
“It’ll be fascinating to see what the Clippers do at No. 5. Sources have indicated that the team is digging into all the top guard prospects as well as exploring potential trade-down scenarios that could result in them accumulating more assets. I’ve also heard Aday Mara’s name associated with the Clippers, although it’s difficult to tell if that would be at No. 5 or in a potential trade down.
Wagler is clearly the best fit of the guards, though, if LA stays at No. 5. He can play both on and off ball and has enough positional size to play next to Darius Garland, whom the team acquired for James Harden at the deadline. Garland played well down the stretch for the Clippers and should be seen as a building block, and I’m skeptical that the Clippers would have enough size defensively by taking Darius Acuff Jr. or Kingston Flemings to play with him. Sources have indicated that Wagler has added muscle to his frame during the pre-draft process. He came to Illinois at 168 pounds and weighed 188 pounds at the combine; his frame should be able to continue adding strength over the next few years.”
SB Nation: Keaton Wagler (Formerly Wagler)
“The early read on this choice is that it’s going to come down to Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler. I have Brown higher on my board, but Wagler feels like a cleaner fit in LA next to Darius Garland. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Clippers look to trade down. Wagler’s off-the-dribble shooting was so impressive in his breakout freshman year, and should continue to fuel his NBA success. If Brown goes in this spot, Wagler could fall to the Hawks at No. 8.”
Yahoo Sports: Mikel Brown Jr. (Formerly Wagler)
“The Clippers are widely considered by league sources as the most likely team to trade down in this range. Different teams could be targeting different players. But the most common name mentioned is Brown, who has an unstoppable pull-up jumper, an ambidextrous finishing ability, and the quick reads to rifle passes before the defense has time to react. He had a 45-point breakout performance in February after a back injury dogged him all freshman year and then ended his year later in the month. The absences muddy the evaluation and leave real questions about his consistency that may not get answered until he’s fully healthy. And right now, he is, and all indications are that he is dominating workouts.”
The Ringer: Brayden Burries (Same as May 13)
Once again, Keaton Wagler remains the most popular name for the Clippers at 5, with nobody else included more than once. Right now, it seems as though Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., and Brayden Burries are the guards in consideration for the Clippers at that spot, with Darius Acuff and Kingston Flemings being less likely.
There are, however, multiple mentions of the Clippers trading down. It seems quite possible that the Clippers will move down on draft day – the questions would be how far down and for what additional assets. I think that the clear drop off in prospects after 4 makes a trade-down a fine strategy, but I wouldn’t want the Clippers to move down too far and lose out on taking a true Tier 2 level player.
