Our player preview series on the 2027 Clippers continues with rookie forward Nick Martinelli.
Basic Information
Height: 6’7
Weight: 223 pounds
Position: Small Forward/Power Forward
Age: 22
Years in NBA: Rookie
College Stats: 23.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.8 steals in 35.6 minutes per game across 33 games played on 51/41.7/80.9 shooting splits (3.3 3PA, 6.7 FTA) with 60.2% TS
Contract Status: Two-way contract
Expectations
As a late second-round rookie on a two-way deal, expectations for Martinelli this season are low. Positionally, he’s somewhere in the forward range, which does increase his chances of playing time, but even with all of the injuries the Clippers are dealing with in preseason he’s not in the rotation. As the Clippers (hopefully) get healthier, Martinelli will probably settle into a garbage time role, perhaps with some extended stints in the G-League. If he does play, I think Martinelli could competently fill minutes as a tertiary ballhandler and second unit scorer – I just don’t know how much of a chance he’ll get with so many vets ahead of him.
Strengths
Martinelli is, as the kids say nowadays, a bucket and a problem. Scoring 23 points per game on exceptional efficiency in the Big 10 is extremely impressive, and Martinelli poured in buckets from all over the court – midrange, three-pointers, free throws, and paint shots. He has a soft touch, a competent handle, and is just generally someone who can score at all three levels. Whether that will translate to the NBA remains to be seen, of course, but if Martinelli plays I think he will score.
One thing that was true of Martinelli across his college career is that he was a low turnover player. Even with a high usage rate his senior year, he turned the ball over only 1.4 times per game. He did have a negative assist to turnover ratio his junior season, but giving the ball up 2 times per game when being a 20 point scorer is not really an awful sign. I was impressed by Martinelli’s handle in Summer League – he really seemed to be able to keep it tight and under control even against real defensive pressure. Martinelli will presumably never be the lead ballhandler or playmaker for an NBA unit, but his smart decision-making and solid ballhandling should enable him to be an effective secondary offensive weapon.
Weaknesses
The biggest barrier to Martinelli being a rotation player in the NBA is probably his play on the defensive side of the ball. Martinelli is not laterally quick, which means he won’t be effective guarding NBA perimeter players, but he might also not be strong enough to defend larger frontcourt players. Martinelli seems to have good instincts, and if he works on his strength and footwork I think he can survive in the NBA as a defensive player, but that side of the ball will almost certainly never be his calling card.
Summary
I liked the Martinelli pick on draft night, I was impressed by his play in Summer League, and he showed some nice flashes in the Clippers’ first preseason game. With all that said, if he has a real role on this 2027 Clippers team, it will probably be because something went wrong, either due to injuries to veterans, poor play, or both. I think next season will be Martinelli’s chance to get a real crack at the rotation, but I hope he plays well in whatever opportunities he gets this year.
