My preview of the 2026 NBA season continues with the confusing Atlantic Division, home of some of the NBA’s most stories franchises.

New York Knicks

Additions: Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson

Subtractions: Cam Payne, Precious Achiuwa, Landry Shamet, Delon Wright

Other: Replaced Tom Thibodeau as head coach with Mike Brown Extended Mikal Bridges for four years

Outlook: The Knicks maybe slightly disappointed in the regular season last year, but more than made up for it in the playoffs by making their first Eastern Conference Finals since the 1990s. The Knicks are returning their top-seven rotation players and adding a competent forward in Yabusele along with what will probably be an overused depth piece in Clarkson. The Knicks are thin – one injury trims a very good 8.5 man rotation to a somewhat shakier 7.5 in a hurry – but the top of their rotation is talented, fits well, and in their collective primes. It’s tough to see the Knicks not finishing as a top-three team in the East next year, and they’re right there with the Cavs in terms of winning the Conference outright. Could this be the year the Knicks finally break through? I wouldn’t bet against it.

Prediction: 52-30 (Last year 51-31, predicted 53-29)

Philadelphia 76ers

Additions: VJ Edgecombe (3^rd pick in 2025 Draft), Trendon Watford, Johni Broome (35^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Guerschon Yabusele, Ricky Council IV, Jeff Dowtin Jr., Jared Butler

Other: Quentin Grimes is still hanging in restricted free agency limbo, Re-signed Kyle Lowry, Re-signed Justin Edwards, Re-signed Eric Gordon

Outlook: I have no idea what to do with the Sixers – but neither does anyone else. They won just 24 games last year in a campaign that went about as badly as possible. Even with the Sixers’ bad luck, there is bound to be some regression: Maxey, PG, and Joel Embiid will all probably play more games (52, 41, and 19 respectively last year), Jared McCain likely won’t get a season-ending injury after 1.5 months, and the team’s spirit will be less broken. Still, it’s also impossible to predict them as being a true contender like everyone thought they would be last year, not after Embiid’s injuries and Paul George’s steady decline. I thus forecast them to be somewhere in the middle, a team that might look quite good on certain nights when Embiid is in the lineup and PG is healthy, but will also have stretches without key guys where young players and washed vets will have to play far too many minutes. At the very least, Maxey, McCain, and Edgecombe are three youngsters to be excited about.

Prediction: 42-40 (Last year 24-58, predicted 51-31)

Boston Celtics

Additions: Anfernee Simons, Chris Boucher, Josh Minott, Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez (28^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, Torrey Craig

Other:

Outlook: This might seem like a very low wins projection for the heavyweight Boston Celtics, but have you taken a look at their depth chart? Neemias Queta and Chris Boucher might well be starting for them in the frontcourt on opening night, and if not them, it’s going to include someone from the Josh Minott, Luka Garza, and Xavier Tillman pupu platter. Yes, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser are still around from their championship team. And yes, Joe Mazzulla is a good coach. That’s why I think the Celtics are going to be mediocre instead of outright awful – a real feat considering their macabre frontcourt.

Prediction: 38-44 (Last year 61-21, predicted 58-24)

Toronto Raptors

Additions: Collin Murray-Boyles (10^th pick in 2025 Draft), Sandro Mamukelashvili

Subtractions: Chris Boucher, Colin Castleton, Jared Rhoden

Other: Extended Jakob Poltl for three years, Re-signed Garrett Temple

Outlook: I’m not sure what the Raptors have been doing over the past three years, but I don’t like any of it. Their projected starting lineup of Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram (acquired last season but did not play), Scottie Barnes, and Poltl has a lot of talent, but is an awful fit with poor spacing and too many guys who need the ball in their hands. Add in the unfortunate fact that every single one of those players is overpaid (extending Poltl for an additional three years to carry him through his age 35 season might have been the most inexplicable move of the summer) and you have a mess. The Raptors have too much veteran competence to be truly bad, but not enough high-end talent to be very good, and none of their younger players seem like high-upside swing pieces (I did love the Collin Murray-Boyles pick, however). The Raptors might be better than this, but I’m betting against their fit and in favor of either younger, hungrier squads or more put-together teams that have better chemistry.

Prediction: 35-47 (Last year 30-52, predicted 32-50)

Brooklyn Nets

Additions: Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, Haywood Highsmith, Egor Demin (8^th pick in 2025 Draft), Nolan Traore (19^th pick in 2025 Draft), Drake Powell (22^nd pick in 2025 Draft), Ben Saraf (26^th pick in 2025 Draft), Danny Wolf (27^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Cam Johnson, D’Angelo Russell, Trendon Watford, Maxwell Lewis, Tosan Evbuomwan, Cui Yongxi, Jaylen Martin

Other: Re-signed Cam Thomas, Re-signed Day’Ron Sharpe, Re-signed Ziaire Williams

Outlook: The Nets are one of the easiest teams to predict heading into this season – they are going to be very, very bad. Jordi Fernandez is a good coach, and the Nets have just enough veteran competence – Porter Jr., Mann, Highsmith, and Nic Claxton – to not be historically bad. Add in a record-breaking five first round draft picks and you have a team that might actually be fun to watch, but will probably be bottom-five on both ends of the court. Of their youngsters, I’m most intrigued by Traore and Wolf, but we will see how the prospects shake out over the course of their rookie seasons. If any of them look like future stars, the Nets’ future would get a whole lot brighter.

Prediction: 21-61 (Last year 24-58, predicted 20-62)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division
Robert Flom

The next division in my 2026 NBA preview is the Central Division, probably the strongest overall division in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Additions: Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr., Tyrese Proctor (49^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Ty Jerome, Isaac Okoro, Tristan Thompson

Other: Re-signed Sam Merrill

Outlook: The Cavaliers have had three straight impressive regular seasons followed by playoff disappointments, marring the Donovan Mitchell era to this point. Still, after winning the East last season (in the regular season) by a wide margin, the Cavs (probably smartly) decided to not adjust their roster much, bringing back largely the same team. Lonzo is a good upside swing compared to the limited Okoro, but losing Ty Jerome (the best backup guard in the NBA last year) hurts. The Cavs have an incredible top four, a solid supporting cast, and a very good head coach. They are a lock to be a top team in the East barring injury disaster, and this is their best chance yet to make a deep playoff run considering the injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton. Maybe they finally break through.

Prediction: 58-24 (Last year predicted 51-31, actually 64-18)

Detroit Pistons

Additions: Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson, Chaz Lanier (37th pick in 2025 Draft), Javonte Green

Subtractions: Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder, Tim Hardaway Jr., Simone Fontecchio

Other: Re-signed Paul Reed

Outlook: I was more off on the Pistons last year than any other team – after years of being too high on them, I went low, and was resoundingly wrong. In fact, the Pistons were probably the best story in the NBA last year after the championship-winning Thunder, winning an incredible 30 more games than the prior season. The Pistons did lose some of the key pieces to their playoff push, especially Malik Beasley, who was the second-best shooter in the league last year, but did bring in a couple helpful veterans in LeVert and Robinson. More importantly, the Pistons have one of the best young cores in the NBA: star ballhandler Cade Cunningham, athletic freak Jalen Duren, defensive whiz Ausar Thompson, secondary scorer Jaden Ivey, and energetic swing man Ron Holland are just the best of the bunch. In an Eastern Conference with only three true playoff locks, there’s no reason the Pistons can’t be a top-four seed this year given some internal improvement – and I think they will be.

Prediction: 49-33 (Last year predicted 20-62, actually 44-38)

Milwaukee Bucks

Additions: Myles Turner, Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Subtractions: Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton

Other: Re-signed Bobby Portis, Re-signed Gary Trent Jr., Re-signed Ryan Rollins, Re-signed Taurean Prince, Re-signed Kevin Porter Jr., Re-signed Jericho Sims, Re-signed Chris Livingston

Outlook: The Bucks were one of the three teams (along with the Pacers and Celtics) that were devastated by torn Achilles to star players in the playoffs. Unlike the other teams, the Bucks jettisoned their injured star, waiving and stretching Damian Lillard’s contract to clear cap space to sign Myles Turner. It was a bold move for a team that seemed completely without options to really improve, and Turner is an excellent fit as a Brook Lopez replacement. However, the Bucks really didn’t sign anyone to replace Dame himself, and it’s tough to see a similar Bucks roster to last season win as many games considering the drop-off from Dame to Cole Anthony or Kevin Porter Jr. A healthy Giannis plus a deep-ish roster of veterans is enough for a low-level playoff berth, but not much more – the Bucks’ second-best player is Turner, and their third is one of Bobby Portis or Gary Trent Jr., who are sixth-man level talents. Unless one or two of the Bucks’ precious few young guys really make strides, this is a team with a limited ceiling.

Prediction: 43-39 (Last year predicted 52-30, actually 48-34)

Indiana Pacers

Additions: Jay Huff, Kam Jones (38^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Tyrese Haliburton (out with Achilles tear), Myles Turner, Thomas Bryant

Other: Re-signed Isaiah Jackson, Re-signed James Wiseman

Outlook: The Pacers were one game away from winning the NBA Championship. Unfortunately for them, Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals, they subsequently lost to the Thunder, and now their short-term future is in doubt. Letting Myles Turner walk might be a smart play in the long-term, but it hurts in the medium-future, forcing the Pacers to replace the two most important spots in the starting lineup. Pascal Siakam is a star-level player, Andrew Nembhard is good and can continue to improve, and Rick Carlisle is a top-tier coach – the Pacers will certainly be competent. But without Haliburton on offense and Turner on defense, it’s tough to see them being more than a play-in squad, maybe a low-tier playoff team at the absolute best. Their best bet is that young guys like Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker seize the opportunity for minutes and step up in a big way.

Prediction: 40-42 (Last year predicted 48-34, actually 50-32)

Chicago Bulls

Additions: Noa Essengue (11^th pick in 2025 Draft), Isaac Okoro

Subtractions: Lonzo Ball, Talen Horton-Tucker

Other: None

Outlook: The Bulls continue to flounder in no-mans land. Rather than accepting the writing on the wall and going into a tank in a good 2025 draft, the Bulls fought their way to yet another play-in berth and inevitable loss before the playoffs proper. I like the Noa Essengue pick, and Matas Buzelis showed quite a bit of promise last year down the stretch of the season. Outside of that, the Bulls’ roster is pretty grim, especially if they cave to Josh Giddey and overpay him in restricted free agency (I believe almost none of his stretch run play is legitimate). There’s enough talent to keep the Bulls out of the cellar, but not enough for them to be even a remote threat in the Eastern Conference. Maybe they finally trade Nikola Vucevic and Coby White and embrace the tank, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

Prediction: 30-52 (Last year predicted 28-54, actually 39-43)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Central Division
Robert Flom

The Southeast Division was by far the weakest in the NBA last year, with no teams attaining a record of over .500. That does not seem like it will be the case this season, with up to three teams making postseason pushes, including a potential top seed in the East in Orlando.

Orlando Magic

Additions: Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones, Jase Richardson (25^th pick in 2025 Draft), Noah Penda (32^nd pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Caleb Houstan, Gary Harris, Cory Joseph

Other: Extended Paolo Banchero for 5 years $239M, Re-signed Mo Wagner

Outlook: The Magic had one of the best offseasons in the entire NBA. While they paid a lot to acquire Desmond Bane, Bane is a perfect fit next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner as an exceptional off-ball shooter that adds downhill scoring juice. Tyus Jones has been overrated for much of his career, but as a backup point guard he’s still a steadier option than Cory Joseph, Markelle Fultz, or other Magic options in recent years. The Magic’s defense under Jamahl Mosley has been consistently excellent, setting a nice floor on a nightly basis. Add in a strong draft with Jase Richardson and Noah Penda plus a young roster full of developing players and you have a team that should be very good in the regular season with potential upside as a legitimate contender. I don’t think they quite get there this year, but third-best team in the East seems like a very reasonable goal.

Prediction: 51-31 (Last year predicted 49-33, actually 41-41)

Atlanta Hawks

Additions: Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, Asa Newell (23^rd pick in 2025 Draft), N’Faly Dante

Subtractions: Clint Capela, Caris Levert, Terance Mann, Georges Niang, Larry Nance Jr.

Other:

Outlook: The Hawks had a very good offseason. That being said, I think people are getting a bit over their skis with them. The Hawks’ best move this past summer will not have an impact on their 2026 roster, as it involved swindling the Pelicans out of their 2026 first round pick just to move back 10 spots in the 2025 Draft. Kristaps Porzingis is theoretically a good fit, but I don’t trust him to stay healthy and I also don’t believe he’ll be as impactful outside of Boston. Nickeil is a very nice wing, but is he really a needle mover? Hawks believers would point to rising star Jalen Johnson, second-year wing Zach Risacher, and fifth-year big Onyeka Okongwu as candidates for internal improvement, and that’s certainly fair, but I can’t get to contender status with them. Still, they should be pretty good, and in the East maybe that’s enough.

Prediction: 46-36 (Last year predicted 37-45, actually 40-42)

Miami Heat

Additions: Norman Powell, Kasparas Jakucionis (20^th pick in 2025 Draft), Simone Fontecchio, Ethan Thompson

Subtractions: Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, Alec Burks

Other: Re-signed Davion Mitchell, Re-signed Dru Smith

Outlook: The Heat’s roster sure looks a lot different than when I last did this exercise last summer. Jimmy Butler is gone, as are other long-time mainstays like Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith. Picking up Norm Powell for cheap is a good movie, and Jakucionis was a theoretical steal in the draft, but are those moves strong enough to turn around a Heat team that seems sunk in mediocrity? I don’t really think so. Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Powell, Andrew Wiggins, and decent depth plus Erik Spoelstra as coach is certainly enough for competence, but there’s not much upside here outside of Kel’el Ware or maybe Nikola Jovic. It’s possible the Heat get into the mid-40s in wins, but I think they’re going to be in the play-in.

Prediction: 40-42 (Last year predicted 44-38, actually 37-45)

Charlotte Hornets

Additions: Kon Kneuppel (4^th pick in 2025 Draft), Collin Sexton, Liam McNeeley (29^th pick in 2025 Draft), Mason Plumlee, Pat Connaughton, Ryan Kalkbrenner (33^rd pick in 2025 Draft), Sion James (34^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Mark Williams, Seth Curry, Jusuf Nurkic, Vasilije Micic, Josh Okogie, Taj Gibson

Other:

Outlook: In terms of pure talent, the Hornets should be better than they are. Unfortunately, they’re the Hornets, and things just don’t seem to work out well for them. LaMelo Ball’s health is the most important variable for them – he’s played 36, 22, and 47 games in the past three years, and they just aren’t going to be good without him having a healthy season. I like Kon Kneuppel, and Brandon Miller remains a very promising young wing, but the rest of the Hornets roster doesn’t have a ton of upside without LaMelo. There is also the rather large issue that the Hornets have the worst center rotation in the NBA, consisting of an ancient Mason Plumlee, the hungry but limited Moussa Diabate, and rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner. Even if Kalkbrenner is ok as a rookie, the Hornets are going to be outplayed at that position almost every night, and that’s a major disadvantage. Between that, LaMelo’s health, and too many guards, I just don’t see this as being close to a winning season.

Prediction: 27-55 (Last year predicted 29-53, actually 19-63)

Washington Wizards

Additions: Tre Johnson (5^th pick in 2025 Draft), CJ McCollum, Cam Whitmore, Will Riley (21^st pick in 2025 Draft), Marvin Bagley, Malaki Branham

Subtractions: Jordan Poole, Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Saddiq Bey, Richaun Holmes, Colby Jones

Other: Re-signed Anthony Gill

Outlook: The Wizards are in year three of their long-term rebuild and this season is probably going to be just as bad record-wise as the previous two. The Wiz have added a lot of young talent, but still don’t have a north star to build around (unless one of their youngsters pops) and are clearly trying to tank for the loaded 2026 draft. I think they’ll probably be fun to watch for diehard NBA fans – Tre Johnson is a bucket, Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly both flash potential, and CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton are still good – but are definitely going to compete for a bottom-three record in the NBA with the Nets and Jazz. Tre is the young guy I’m going to have my eye on the most; he doesn’t do much besides score, but he’s tremendous at putting the ball in the hoop and his heaters are legendary.

Prediction: 19-63 (Last year predicted 20-62, actually 18-64)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division
Robert Flom

Our next entry in the Where Are they Now series is Tyrone (Ty) Wallace, another young Clipper from the interregnum period between Lob City and the 213 era.

Clippers Career

Ty Wallace was the 60^th pick in the 2016 pick by the Utah Jazz, but was not ever signed to an NBA deal by the Jazz, instead playing in their G-League system all of the 2017 season. He was signed to a training camp deal by the Clippers going into 2018, but was one of the last cuts in preseason. However, in mid-January, with the Clippers dealing with a ton of injuries and Ty playing well in Agua Caliente, he was signed to a two-way deal by the Clippers. Ty then spent most of the rest of the year playing in Los Angeles, logging 30 games (including 19 starts) in the NBA and averaging 9.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 28.4 minutes. Ty was not able to shoot at all (25% from three on low volume) but his driving ability plus size on defense made him a fairly promising prospect considering he was just 23 at the time.

Ty was a restricted free agent and got an offer by the New Orleans Pelicans, but the Clippers matched it, and he returned to the Clippers for the 2019 season. Like previous Where Are they Now entrants Jawun Evans and Sindarius Thornwell, Ty’s playing time was impacted by the advent of rookies Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson as well as the health of Pat Beverley and Avery Bradley. Ty still played in 62 contests, but his minutes dropped all the way down to 10.1, and his production and efficiency tanked. Ty was out of the rotation by the time the playoffs rolled around, and was waived after the season with the arrival of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. An abrupt end to what had seemingly been the start of a promising career with the Clippers.

2020 Season

Ty was claimed off waivers by the Timberwolves but was then waived by them at the end of training camp before playing in a single NBA game for Minnesota. However, Ty was then once again claimed off waivers, this time by the Atlanta Hawks. Ty played in 14 games for Atlanta in the next few months, but did not make much of an impact, averaging just 2.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists on horrid shooting splits (31.8/6.7/64.7) in 11.4 minutes per game. Ty was subsequently waived on December 14 and was not picked up by an NBA team.

However, the Clippers remained interested in having Ty Wallace in their system, and he was signed by the Agua Caliente Clippers in March 2020. As this was right at the end of the season, Ty played in just two games for Agua Caliente – it was more about keeping him going into the following season.

2021 Season

Ty remained with the Agua Caliente Clippers during the 2021 season, but for some reason only played in 11 games. Still, he started in 10 of those games and averaged 31.6 minutes while putting up a very robust line of 16.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals. In short, he was quite good, despite still not shooting well from three (28.6%) and turning the ball over 4 times per game.

2022 Season

Ty started off the 2022 season with the Agua Caliente Clippers as well, but was traded to the Long Island Nets (Brooklyn’s G-League team) before playing in a game. For the Nets, he had his best season since all the way back in 2018, averaging 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 35.6 minutes per game while only starting in 11 contests. Along the way, a shocking development occurred: Ty started taking and making threes at a high volume, with his 6.1 attempts and 42.7% shooting both being career highs by massive margins.

Ty was so good, in fact, that he got one last shot in the NBA, receiving two 10-day contracts from the Pelicans. Ty appeared in 6 games for New Orleans and averaged just 12.5 minutes per game, but it still must have felt great for him considering he’d been out of the NBA for 2.5 years at that point. Still, his cup of coffee in the NBA was brief, and he finished the season back in Long Island with the G-League.

2023 Season

After six years of playing professional basketball in the United States, Ty Wallace finally moved overseas in 2023. Maybe he knew that a real NBA contract wasn’t coming, or maybe the money and prospects of higher-quality basketball was too potent. Regardless, Ty signed with Paris Basketball of the LNB Elite and Eurocup in July 2022. He played in 43 combined games for Paris across both competitions, averaging 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. His three-point shooting fell back down to earth at 31.3%, though his 5.8 attempts remained much higher than earlier in his career. The turnovers, too, were an issue, with 3.6 giveaways per contest, but the level of production in very good leagues was impressive.

2024 Season

Following his successful season in France, Ty upgraded slightly, signing with Turk Telecom of the Basketball Super League (BSL) in Turkey, which also competed in the Eurocup. The BSL is considered a somewhat stronger league than LNB and offers comparable pay. Ty upped his game for Turk, producing probably the finest season of his career considering tenure and level of play, as he averaged 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 33 minutes while shooting 44.5% from the field, 33.7% from three (5.8 attempts), and 77.5% from the line (4.3 attempts) while cutting turnovers to 2.9 per game. An extremely impressive season from Ty at some of the highest levels of international competition.

2025 Season

In July 2024, Ty Wallace signed with Zalgiris Kaunas of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL), a bit of a downgrade in terms of domestic leagues – but one that plays in the EuroLeague, the best league in the world outside of the US. However, Ty played only a few games for them before leaving the team in October. The explanation at the time was cloudy, but it seemed there were personal issues going on.

Ty was out of a job for a few months, but signed with Galatasaray of the BSL and Basketball Champions League. Ty played in 26 games for Galatasaray but started in just over half of them, and his stats were down across the board compared to previous seasons despite playing at a similar level. It’s unclear if he still had issues impacting him or his play was just suffering, but 2025 was definitely a down season, and in late June he and Galatasaray parted ways.

Future

Ty Wallace is somehow already 31 years old, putting him at the end of his prime and starting into the downslope of his career. Still, his 2022 to 2024 seasons would indicate he has plenty of good basketball left in him. It’s honestly been a pretty stellar career for the 60^th pick in the draft and a relatively unheralded college prospect – compared to Evans and Thornwell, Wallace has played at higher levels and produced much better. It seems unlikely Ty will come back to the NBA, but a few more years in top international domestic leagues is certainly a possibility.

Where Are They Now: Ty Wallace
Robert Flom

The next player up in the Where Are They Now Series is Jawun Evans, Sindarius Thornwell’s draft mate all the way back in 2017.

Clippers Career

Jawun Evans was taken with the 39^th pick in the 2017 Draft, marking the first draft selection of the post Lob City era. Evans was well liked by draft pundits as a pick, and Clippers fans had moderate expectations for Jawun due to a strong two-year college career. Evans played in 48 games his rookie season, averaging 16.2 minutes per contest for a competitive Clippers’ squad. However, despite flashing some fun playmaking and pesky point-of-attack defense, Evans’ offensive game, which was terrific in college, did not translate, with Jawun shooting just 35.2% from the field and 27.8% from three. It was overall a disappointing season, albeit with a few real highlights.

Unfortunately, like several of the Clippers’ young players from the 2016-2018 seasons, Jawun became a casualty of the Clippers’ influx of young talent with two lottery picks in the 2018 draft, and was waived on October 15, 2018 in training camp.

2019 Season

Jawun was picked up by the Phoenix Suns on a two-way deal just a couple weeks later, in early November, and remained with the Suns’ organization for most of the 2019 season. However, he played in a mere 7 games for the big league squad, averaging just over nine minutes per game and playing exclusively in garbage time. Instead, Jawun played mostly in the G-League, appearing in 32 games for the North Arizona Suns and averaging 15 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Unfortunately, his turnovers were high (3.2) and the three-point shooting remained below average (33.8% on 2.3 attempts).

Evans was waived by the Suns on March 23, and was picked up by the Thunder on March 25. He played in just one game for the Thunder, logging a single minute with one stat (a missed three) before the season ended. Overall, not a banner year for Jawun, and this would be the last season he made appearances in NBA games.

2020 Season

Jawun was picked up by the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G-League team, and spent the season with them. He started in 16 of 33 games, but his scoring dropped all the way down to 7.6 per game, a nearly 50% reduction. Jawun’s turnovers also fell nearly in half, to 1.8, with a clear emphasis on running an offense and making plays for others rather than scoring. Sadly, what was probably Jawun’s steadiest year as a pro so far ended in early March, as he was waived following a season-ending injury.

2021 Season

It took Jawun nearly a full year to find a new professional home, as he signed with Promitheas Patras of the Greek Basket League in January of 2021. Evans played in just eight games for Patras and averaged a mere 15.2 minutes per game, with averages of 6.8 points and 2.0 assists not much to write home about. It was a brief sojourn internationally for Jawun, who then returned to North America at the end of the year.

2022 Season

Jawun signed with the Raptors 905 again, but was traded to the Canton Charge (Cleveland’s G-League team) before playing a game. He then appeared in 20 games for Canton, averaging 7.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on his best shooting splits yet (43.2% from field and 43.3% from three). Still, at this point Jawun seemed locked into bench roles at the G-League level, or similar international arenas.

2023 Season

In September 2022, Jawun went back overseas, signing with Juventus Utena, a Lithuanian basketball team. Here, Jawun probably had his best overall professional campaign, averaging 14.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 46.2% from the field, 40.5% from three, and 88.9% from the line. Oddly, Jawun played in just 14 games for Juventus before leaving, and didn’t sign anywhere else during the 2023 season after departing in January.

2024 Season

In July 2023, Jawun signed with Slask Wroclaw in Poland, but once again only appeared in a few games for the Polish side before signing with JDA Dijon Basket in the French LNB A. Jawun played in just a couple of games for Dijon as well, with very poor stats, logging just 10 total games across both leagues in the entire 2024 calendar year. Again, I’m not sure why he played in so few games, whether because of injuries, personality issues, or something else entirely.

2025 Season

In August of 2024, Jawun went back to Poland, this time signing with Legia Warsaw. Jawun played 13 games for Legia, but his stats were poor, scoring 7.9 points on 37.1% shooting from the field and 28.2% from three. Jawun left Legia, and in January of 2025 went back to the G-League, signing with the Maine Celtics. Jawun logged just four games with Maine, and his stats there were even worse than in Poland (albeit in a tiny sample size), shooting just 2-11 across those appearances and missing his only two threes. And that takes us to the present day.

Future

Jawun Evans has sadly had a bit of a downer career. After a somewhat fun if ultimately not very good rookie season in the NBA and then a competent (though again not awesome) G-League campaign the next year, he has really struggled to find his footing, with most of his stints with teams not lasting for more than a couple of months. Just 29 years old, Jawun could probably continue to play professionally for another few seasons, but it seems like at this point he might be even below the G-League level.

Ultimately, Jawun’s biggest issue has been scoring the basketball. It’s odd considering he was an effective and efficient scorer at good volume in a good conference in college at Oklahoma State, but his scoring has just not translated to the pros at all. More specifically, Jawun’s three-point shot has just never materialized, and it’s tough being a small guard that’s not a good three-point shooter. Hopefully Jawun can scratch out another couple of years professionally, even if that means going to some lesser-tier leagues.

Where Are They Now: Jawun Evans
Robert Flom

You know the NBA Offseason is in its dog days when I re-start the Where Are They Now articles, a very long running series dating back to Clips Nation documenting the career of former Clippers’ players. With Chris Paul returning to the Clippers, I wanted to take a look back at the days immediately after he left the team for the first time, and so I will be reviewing some of the Clippers from the fun 2017-2018 season. First up: Sindarius Thornwell.

Clippers Career

Sindarius Thornwell was taken with the 48^th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, continuing the Clippers’ tradition of taking older players in the draft (Reggie Bullock, CJ Wilcox, Brice Johnson, etc.). Expectations are always pretty low for players taken so low, but Sindarius immediately raised them through a strong Summer League. He then went on to play a real role for the 2018 Clippers, playing in 73 games (starting 16) for a team that went 42-40. A limited (to be kind) offensive player, Sindarius played minutes because of his defense and energy, which was the M.O. of that squad.

Unfortunately for Sindarius (but fortunately for the Clippers), the selection of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the 2018 Draft and the improved health of Pat Beverley (he barely played in 2017) pushed Thornwell way down the depth chart. Sindarius still played in 64 games for the incredibly fun 48-34 squad, but averaged just 4.9 minutes per game, with most of his playing time coming in garbage time or for very limited defensive situations.

Then, in the summer of 2019, the Clippers brought in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and everything changed (Avatar the Last Airbender reference for those who know). For a team trying to compete for a championship, there was no longer room on the end of the bench for a defensive-first prospect already in his mid-20s, and so Sindarius was waived in early July.

2020 Season

Sindarius signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers to a training camp deal, but was waived before the season started. He thus spent most of his time in the G-League, logging 40 games for the Rio Grand Valley Vipers. Unfortunately, it was not a great season for Sindarius, who averaged just 9.2 points on 42.6% shooting from the field and 28.9% from deep. His inability to do much on the offensive end (though he did average 4.6 assists per game) did not bode well for his NBA prospects.

Sindarius was in fact signed at the very end of the season by the New Orleans Pelicans in a COVID-season only “substitution deal” but played just two inconsequential games for them.

2021 Season

The Pelicans must have liked what they saw from Sindarius, however, because they re-signed him in December of 2020 before the start of the season (that season started just before Christmas). The Pelicans waived him before the trade deadline before re-signing him to multiple 10-day deals. In total, Sindarius played 14 games for the Pels, averaging just 1.2 points in 5.2 minutes per game as a primarily defensive-oriented player.

When Sindarius’ second 10-day deal expired, the Orlando Magic stepped in and signed him to a two-way deal. Sindarius actually got more playing time than he had in years, averaging 20.6 minutes per game in his seven appearances for Orlando. Sadly, he was dreadful on offense, shooting 32% from the field and 28.6% from three.

Sindarius’ lack of offense game was his downfall, and those games for the Magic were the last time he appeared in the NBA.

2022 Season

After sticking in the NBA for parts of four seasons (legitimately a nice career for the 48^th pick), Sindarius finally went overseas, signing with German side Ratiopharm Ulm for the 2022 season. Ulm has been one of the better teams in the German League (BBL) in recent years, and competed in Eurocup that season. Across 42 games played, Sindarius started 39 and averaged 29.9 minutes per game, playing a key role. He also shot well for the first time in his professional career, averaging 44.4% from the field, 39% from three (on 3.9 attempts!), and 81.8% from the line (3.7 attempts) and scoring 12.5 points per game. A much-needed bounce back season for Sindarius.

2023 Season

Sindarius parlayed his excellent 2022 campaign into a deal with Frutti Extra Bursapor of the Turkish Basketball League (BSL), one of the best domestic leagues outside of the US. Oddly, Thornwell played just four games for Bursapor, and then did not play at all the rest of the year. I’m not sure what happened here, whether it was an injury, suspension, personal reasons, or something else, but it was a lost season for Sindarius.

2024 Season

The next time Sindarius played basketball it was for Avtodor Saratov of the Russian Basketball League (VTB). He suited up for 39 games, starting 34, and had a similar (if somewhat worse) season to his 2022 campaign for Ulm. Sindarius shot pretty well, collected a good number of rebounds, and scoring in the low double-digits. At this point, this seems like what Sindarius is at this level

2025 Season

In August 2024, Sindarius signed with Zastal Zielona Gora of the Polish Basketball League. He played and started in 17 games for Zastal before leaving the team in February 2025 and moving to the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Like so many former NBA players, China beckoned. Sindarius played 12 games for the Flying Tigers, but started just three, and played in fewer minutes per game than he had since leaving the NBA.

Future

Now 30 years old (turning 31 in November), Sindarius Thornwell seems well past the point of an NBA return. He’s clearly playing at a level where he can continue finding jobs overseas, but at this point I’d also imagine he’s not close to returning to a true top-level league (Euroleague) or team. Ultimately, while Sindarius’ defense at his size made him a useful bit player in the NBA, his lack of development as an offensive player has held him back from a steady tenure with any team. Hopefully he can keep playing another few years and reach the decade mark of his professional career.

Where Are They Now: Sindarius Thornwell
Robert Flom

The Clippers’ first Summer League is in two days, so it’s time for my annual tradition of reviewing the Clippers’ summer roster and giving brief thoughts on each player.

The Roster Guys

Yanic Konan Niederhauser – Niederhauser is an archetype of player – athletic big man – that I think generally looks pretty good in unstructured play like Summer League. We all know he’s hyper athletic, and there will therefore be some fun dunks and blocks, but I’ll be watching his positioning on both ends closely. Really, the biggest complaint about Niederhauser I’ve heard from scouts and draft people is he’s not all that competent at basketball fundamentals, so just seeing how he moves on the court and does basic things (box out, set picks, set himself on defense) will be the important check boxes for me.

Kobe Sanders – I already gave some initial thoughts on Kobe when the Clippers selected him in the draft, but I want to reiterate that I think it was a good pick and I like his skillset for the NBA. In Summer League, I am going to be focusing on two things – his defense, and how easily he’s able to get to his spots on offense. Kobe’s athleticism is not great, and if he’s unable to create any separation on offense or stick with perimeter players on defense it won’t be a good sign. If he looks comfortable navigating play on offense and doesn’t look completely cooked on defense I will feel good about his Summer League.

Cam Christie – The 46^th pick in the 2024 Draft, Christie barely played in the NBA last year, instead spending nearly all of his time down in the G League. This is understandable for Christie, who is still just 19 years old and was not physically ready for the NBA last year. We all know Christie’s shot is buttery and that he has the size of an off-guard in the NBA. What I want to see is how his year of professional conditioning, strength training, nutrition, and play has done in terms of his physicality on both ends. Can he successfully get all the way to the rim on drives and not get bumped off his spot? Can he hold up offensive players as a defender and not give ground? These are the things I will be watching for in Summer League.

Trentyn Flowers – Despite Flowers being picked up last year by the Clippers as an undrafted free agent, this will actually be his first Summer League appearance, as he had issues with getting out of his NBL contract to play for the Clippers last summer. Considering his age and rawness as a prospect, Flowers had a pretty strong campaign in the G-League, averaging 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists across 42 games played. He also shot the ball fairly well, with a 38.5% rate from deep on 4.3 attempts per game. In Summer League, I’d like to see Flowers create off the dribble using his athleticism and play sound defense. The defensive side of the ball is where Flowers needs to put in work – like many young wings, he’s not fully up to speed there. Summer League is a tough context to show advanced defense, but I would like to see some nice stops and competent rotations from Flowers as well as his usual scoring prowess on the other end.

Jordan Miller – I’m counting Jordan as a roster player even though the Clippers cut him yesterday, as all indications are that they’d ideally like to retain him in some capacity. Frankly, considering how dominant Jordan was at last Summer League, I don’t really need to see much from him, but I hope he shows out to convince the Clippers (or another team) to give him a deal.

Kobe Brown – I feel pretty similarly about Kobe as I do about Jordan. He hasn’t been as dominant as Jordan at this level, but he’s also 25 years old and has proven himself in Summer League and G-League. Really, I honestly think the Clippers might be doing Kobe a favor by putting him on their Summer League roster to give him another chance to show out – all the reporting seems to be the Clippers are ready to move on from Kobe, and this could be a bit of a showcase. As always with Kobe, I will be watching his three-point shot and how smooth and comfortable he looks from deep.

Patrick Baldwin Jr. – Baldwin Jr. was signed to a two-way deal by the Clippers in March and it seems as though they’d like to keep him around for next year. Baldwin is going into his fourth season in the NBA, and has logged 826 minutes at the NBA level – more than any other player on the Clippers’ roster. A tall (6’9) forward, Baldwin Jr. can shoot but has below-average athleticism and doesn’t do a ton else besides rebound. I’ll be looking to see if he’s any more adept at getting to the rim or at least finding spots in the midrange, since we know the three-point shot is mostly there.

Exhibit 10 Players

Jahmyl Telfort – Telfort is a five-year college player who played his last two seasons at Butler after his first three at Northeastern. A 6’7 guard, Telfort is interesting because his two seasons at Butler were much better than his stint at Northeastern despite playing in a much tougher conference. Telfort is an all-around offensive guard who scored most of his points from two-point range while chipping in reasonable amounts of rebounds and assists. The size is interesting for a guard, as is the production, but Telfort is very old for a prospect (turned 24 in April) and the three-point shot was inconsistent in college. Considering how many guards the Clippers have, I don’t think he’ll get a two-way spot, but who knows.

John Poulakidas – Poulakidas is a senior from Yale who played all four seasons at Yale, including starting and playing heavy minutes the last three. He emerged as an NBA prospect in his senior season, when he averaged 19.4 points per game (leading the Ivy League in scoring) while shooting 40.8% from three (7.9 attempts) and an insane 89.7% from the line (3.2 attempts). Poulakidas has decent size at 6’5, making him a standard off-guard in terms of build, and his best skill by far is his shooting. He doesn’t do a ton else on the court, but if he can hold his own on defense the shooting alone could make him an NBA player. I’ll be curious to see how he’s able to get his shot off against much bigger and more athletic competition than he’s seen previously.

Other Players

Izaiah Brockington – Brockington, a 6’4 guard, has played a single game of NBA basketball, for the Pelicans in 2024. He played for the San Diego Clippers for part of the 2025 season, and has in general bounced around the G-League as well as other leagues (mostly recently Canada). Brockington is a scorer who can shoot the ball but hasn’t shown a ton of other production. Considering how many guards the Clippers already have in camp, my guess is he’s just there as a favor for the G-League squad, but maybe he shows out. He is already 26, which is a mark against him having much upside, but we will see.

Juwan Gary – Gary is an undrafted rookie who played five seasons in college across Nebraska and Alabama. A long-time starter at the Power Five level, Gary is an older rookie that probably doesn’t shoot well enough (29.4% from three across college career on 2.3 attempts per game) to make it in the NBA at his size (6’6), but he is a solid rebounder and defender who brings energy. He’s another player I’d guess is more of a depth piece and potential San Diego Clipper roster guy.

Zavier Simpson – First off, Zavier Simpson, aka “Captain Hook” is a Michigan legend. He’s therefore automatically the best player on this roster. Second, he legitimately has had the most successful professional career of anyone on this summer league team, earning an All-EuroCup Second Team placement last year for a Romanian team and leading the EuroCup league in assists per game. A small (he’s listed at 6’0 but is not that tall) point guard, Simpson is a classic gritty, undersized point that can run the offense and play defense at the point of attack. He’s played 11 games in the NBA for the Grizzlies and Thunder, but his shot has not been good enough to stick. At age 28 he’s unlikely to make the jump back to the NBA, but maybe the Clippers are interested in him as a Xavier Moon type two-way signing for steady point guard minutes in a pinch. Enjoy the hook shots folks.

Reviewing the Clippers 2025 Summer League Roster
Robert Flom

Finding targets for the full mid-level exception (which starts at $14.2M and can run for up to four years) is difficult in the modern NBA. Most of the top free agents in this class aren’t really free agents, as they have player options they will likely use or are restricted free agents their teams will re-sign. There’s a tier of guys who fit the actual mid-level range, and then players who are much more towards the non-taxpayer MLE ($10M), biannual exception ($5M), or minimum ($3M) level. However, teams can split up their mid-level exception, so the Clippers could break their MLE up into two different players, or even three.

Here are some players that I could see the Clippers using their mid-level exception on, considering fit, talent, and market scarcity, though most of them I think are more one-year “prove-it” deals or guys who’d only get most of the MLE instead of all of it.

Point Guards

Malcolm Brogdon

The Clippers have been linked to Brogdon for years; I’m sure readers will remember that the Clippers actually traded for him two years ago before the trade was cancelled due to injury issues. Brogdon is a strong on-court fit for what the Clippers need, as he’s a big guard who can run offense when James Harden is on the bench and is a good enough defender and off-ball player to survive next to James. The problem is that Brogdon is never available: he’s played over 70 games just once in his nine-year career, and over 60 games just two other seasons. Because of his injury history and age (he turns 33 in December), Brogdon is not really worth the MLE, but a one-year deal for him makes some sense.

D’Angelo Russell

There are very, very strong indications that D’Angelo Russell is signing with Dallas to tide them over until Kyrie Irving returns from injury. If the Mavs go another direction, Russell would theoretically make sense as a player who has always been a much, much worse version of James Harden. Russell is in his prime, has mostly stayed healthy the past few years, and fits the bill of a ball-handling scorer and playmaker off the bench. That said, he’s infuriating to watch and just doesn’t seem like he fits the Clippers’ ethos. I wouldn’t expect it, but it’s a possibility.

Wings

Nickeil Alexander-Walker

NAW is coming off two strong seasons as a high-minute backup on the Western Conference Finals runner-up Minnesota Timberwolves. Alexander-Walker is a standard 3 and D wing, hitting over 38% of his threes the past two years on solid volume, defending multiple positions, and adding just a bit of attacking and passing off the bounce. Nickeil turns 27 in September, so this upcoming deal will cover the rest of his prime – absolutely optimal years. He’s probably the player on this list who most deserves the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception and has several suitors willing to offer him that money. He’d presumably slot in as one of the Clippers’ starting wings, depending on what they do elsewhere on the roster, and is a good fit in between James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. The question is who he chooses in free agency.

Bruce Brown

Bruce Brown is a proven championship-caliber role player who is in the middle of his prime. Moreover, he’s a gadget type player who can do a bit on-ball, play as a wing, or even serve more as a forward. So why is he available? Well, he’s honestly been pretty bad the past two years since he left Denver, bouncing from Indiana to Toronto to New Orleans and not really providing a positive impact in any of those stops. Brown was solid for the Pistons and Nets early in his career, so he’s probably not a “Jokic merchant”, but there are concerns about whether his game has slipped. He’s also been heavily rumored to return to Denver, so I doubt he’s really on the open market. Still, he does fit a lot of what the Clippers value.

Power Forwards

Jake LaRavia

This is the kind of swing I’d like the Clippers to take. LaRavia is 24-years-old, has pedigree, and was quite good last year for two competent teams in the Grizzlies and Kings. LaRavia is a true forward size (6’8, 235 pounds), a solid defender, a decent three-point shooter (37% on 2.7 attempts for his career), and has flashed some playmaking and creation. LaRavia probably wasn’t worth the full MLE last year, but is young and has gotten better every year. More importantly, he’s the kind of player the Clippers have needed for years: a legitimate forward that can do a little bit of everything and slot in between Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac. Maybe he doesn’t develop and he’s a bit of an overpay. Or maybe he continues to get better, and this contract looks like a steal. If I were the Clippers, without much to lose, I’d try to nab LaRavia.

Guerschon Yabusele

The Dancing Bear made a triumphant return to the NBA last year after five seasons spent overseas. Originally viewed as a total bust in Boston, Yabu honed his game at the highest levels of European competition playing for Real Madrid, and was a key part of Team France in the Olympics last summer. In the 2025 season, he was one of the few bright spots for a pitiful Sixers team, scoring 11 points per game on strong efficiency and providing surprisingly good connective passing. Yabu is an ideal fit for what the Clippers have needed for years: a big, physical forward who can take the burden off of Kawhi Leonard, space the floor, and replace some of Nic Batum’s qualities as a connective piece. A full MLE for a player who only has one season of competent NBA play might be an overpay, but Yabu is 29 years old and is a really strong fit. I’d be a fan of this one.

Centers

Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez is not worth the full MLE, to be clear. He’s 37 years old and has been in decline for years. But he is still a competent center who scored in double figures last year (efficiently), protects the rim, and legitimately stretches the floor on offense. This would probably not be a multi-year deal (or at least not more than two years), but a one-year deal to get a true backup for Ivica Zubac makes some sense.

Clint Capela

This would be another overpay for an aging center. But Capela is only 31, is still an effective rebounder, and remains an above-the-rim threat. Add in the fact that he played for a half-decade with James Harden in Houston and you have a ready-made high-level backup for a season or two. Again, it’s probably not an ideal use of the MLE, but it fills a need that the Clippers have had for years. Capela would also be an exceptional veteran mentor for recent Clippers’ first round draft pick Yanic Konan Niederhauser, another raw, athletic, Swiss big man. It seems almost too good a pairing to be true.

Minimum Signings

Here’s a quick list of some players at each position that I think would be good for the Clippers at the minimum or maybe at a smaller chunk of the MLE. The point guard and center groups are definitely the strongest crops.

Point Guard: Chris Paul, Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, Delon Wright, Jared Butler

Wing: Gary Harris, Lonnie Walker, Lindy Waters III, Ziaire Williams, Trey Alexander

Forward: Larry Nance Jr., Trendon Watford, Precious Achiuwa, Taurean Prince

Center: Chris Boucher, Paul Reed, Thomas Bryant, Luke Kornet, Kevon Looney

Eight MLE Targets for the Clippers in Free Agency
Robert Flom

The 2025 NBA Draft is tomorrow night, so here’s a last roundup of some big mock drafts and who they have the Clippers selecting at 30 and 51 in the draft.

ESPN: Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (Updated June 23)

Clippers Pick 30: Noah Penda (SF/PF, Le Mans) – same as last update

Clippers Pick 51: Eric Dixon (PF, Villanova)

Bleacher Report: Jonathan Wasserman (Updated June 23)

Clippers Pick 30: Chaz Lanier (SG, Tennessee)

Explanation: “Chaz Lanier finished second at the NBA Combine in aggregate shooting, unsurprising based on his 229 made threes over the past two seasons. NBA teams that could use more offensive firepower will look past age and lack of versatility for such advanced shotmaking.”

Clippers Pick 51: Mark Sears (PG, Alabama) – same as last update

The Athletic: Sam Vecenie (Updated June 23)

Clippers Pick 30: Rasheer Fleming (PF, St. Joe’s)

Explanation: “Fleming very much looks the part at 6-8 with a 7-5 wingspan. He’s also got great leaping ability and a chiseled frame that allows him to play with force and strength on both ends. He averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game and drilled 39 percent from 3. The idea here is a 3-and-D forward who can potentially be switchable across the positional spectrum while also drilling 3s. But he doesn’t process things happening around him on the court quickly. Still, any team that values the frame and shooting potential will be interested in Fleming. The Clippers need more frontcourt depth and could see Fleming as an interesting answer as a small-ball five.”

Clippers Pick 51: Ryan Nembhard (PG, Alabama)

The Ringer: Kyle J Mann & Danny Chau (Updated June 24)

Clippers Pick 30: Kam Jones (G, Marquette)

Explanation: “The buzz around Jones subsided a bit during his senior year as his percentages from 3 dipped. But 10 seconds of research would reveal that his burden was significantly higher than in previous years, when he was wheeling and dealing next to (now New York Knick) Tyler Kolek. Without the All-American by his side last season, Jones was depended on to water the plants of Marquette’s offense while still scoring himself, and that proved to be a tougher task than working alongside another big-time creator. It’s highly unlikely that Jones will have to overextend himself like that ever again; he should instead be called on to hit open shots and keep the ball moving on offense. I expect his experience to shrink the gap between where he is and what the Clippers might ask of him in the near future.”

Clippers Pick 51: N/A

SB Nation: Ricky O’Donnell (Updated June 23)

Clippers Pick 30: Drake Powell (SF, North Carolina)

Clippers Pick 51: N/A

Yahoo: Kevin O’Connor (Updated June 23)

Clippers Pick 30: Rasheer Fleming (PF, St. Joe’s)

Explanation: “Fleming is a hustler who drains spot-up jumpers and brings energy on defense, swatting shots and snagging boards. But he has some real warts as a ball-handler with a lack of experience against high-level competition, so teams will have to feel real confident his role player skill set will translate. With Kawhi Leonard and James Harden handling the rock in Los Angeles, Fleming’s positive qualities could allow him to slot in right away.”

Clippers Pick 51: Johni Broome (C, Auburn)

Summary

This mock draft update brings some interesting elements to the table. Every single mock draft here (June 24 Noon Update: this is no longer true with the Ringer’s latest update) has the Clippers taking a wing of some kind (from the SG-type Lanier to the big power forward Fleming) at 30. That might not say as much about the Clippers’ thought process as it does the type of prospects who are going to be available at 30 and who the relative best prospects will likely be on the board. Still, it’s an interesting trend that really might have some meaning as to who the Clippers draft at 30.

The other note is that for the first time, multiple mock drafts are in alignment, with Fleming being chosen by two mocks as the Clippers pick (with O’Donnell choosing Powell, who had been Vecenie’s pick previously). Again, does that mean there’s real intel there? Or just that Fleming would be one of the better prospects available at 30 and fits a need on the Clippers’ roster as a big forward who can play small-ball center. Either way, I’d be quite happy with a Fleming pick at 30.

Four of the mocks had the Clippers’ pick at 51, and there was no overlap there. However, it is again interesting that two of the mocks had the Clippers taking point guards, and the other two had the Clippers drafting big men (Dixon is a power forward but probably more of a small-ball center in the NBA). Thus, the Clippers drafting a wing/forward of some kind at 30 and then a guard or big man at 51 seems to be the thought process, at least of plugged in draft experts.

Clippers 2025 Mock Draft Roundup: One Day Pre-Draft
Robert Flom

With the 2025 NBA Draft just two days away, here’s a look at 10 players who the Clippers could select with the 30^th pick that I’d have some interest in. I did not have time this year for my full positional statistical breakdowns, but these are some players who should be available in the 20-40 range of the draft that are well liked by various online draft experts and media.

Guards

Ben Saraf

Saraf would be an unusual Clippers’ draft pick in that he’s young (just turned 19) and is an international player. The Clippers haven’t selected an international prospect since David Michineau back in 2016 (SGA played at Kentucky even though he’s Canadian), but based on how the board is looking, they might this year. Saraf plays for Ratiopharm Ulm, a German team in the EuroCup, and his EuroCup stats (12.8 points, 4.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals in 24.4 minutes) are quite impressive. The questions on his shot and athleticism are what keep him down at the end of the first and early second mock range, but he seems like a decent bet as a backup point guard.

Nolan Traore

Traore is another young (19 years old) international point guard but might be an even more unconventional pick for the Clippers than Saraf. He’s played at the first division of the French LNB Pro A league the past year, and got a lot of reps as the starting point guard. He has size (6’3), burst, and some real playmaking chops, but was an extremely inefficient scorer and had a very high turnover rate. The idea of a lead guard playmaker is there, but he’s definitely a tools bet, and that’s not usually how the Clippers draft. Traore was getting lottery buzz early in the season and I wouldn’t take him there, but at 30 he’s a fine upswing swing albeit with a low floor.

Walter Clayton Jr.

Walter Clayton Jr. is, as the kids say, a bucket and a problem. He averaged 18.3 points per game for the NCAA-title winning Florida Gators last year while shooting 38.6% from three on 7.8 attempts per game. His combination of handle, shiftiness, and long-distance shooting makes him a natural point guard in the modern NBA. The issues with Clayton are simple: physically, he’s undersized at 6’2 and 195 pounds, and he’s not an explosive athlete like Ja Morant or John Wall. The Clippers could really, really use a scoring guard off the bench, and Clayton fits the bill while still having upside for more.

Wings/Forwards

Noah Penda

Penda is a hefty 6’7, 242 pound wing who played at Le Mans in the LNB Pro A this past year. Physically gifted and with a terrific motor, there are shades of a larger Nic Batum to Penda, who is also a solid passer and processes the game well. Like so many wings in today’s day and age, Penda’s success will largely come down to his three-point shooting. Penda made 34% of his threes this past year, which isn’t awful, but also isn’t a sign that he will be ready to be a threat from deep in the NBA right away. If he can become a consistent shooter, he has a clear path to being a connective 3 and D forward type that is so valuable in the modern NBA. If not, he will probably be a fringe NBA guy.

Rasheer Fleming

Almost no player in this class fits more cleanly into a Clippers’ need than Fleming from a pure player profile, as the 6’8, 232 forward from St. Joe’s is the exact kind of big forward who can shoot (39% on 4.5 attempts from deep) and possibly even play some small-ball big as he rounds into NBA condition. There are real limits on his ceiling, as he’s more of a tweener and does not have the skill or athleticism to play on the wing, but it’s easy to imagine him filling the role that Kobe Brown was supposed to as a big four or small five depending on lineups.

Adou Thiero

Thiero had a breakout junior season at Arkansas after two underwhelming seasons at Kentucky, scoring just over 15 points per game while bringing in 5.8 rebounds and nabbing 1.6 steals per game. While a bit undersized for a forward at 6’6 200, Thiero is physical and a plus athlete who can defend easily across several positions. The offensive game is a work in progress, but the tools are there for a modern defensive wing that provides at least a bit of pop on offense. Think the Thompson twins but just not at that tier of athlete.

Drake Powell

Powell is a rare one-and-done who is not projected to go in the lottery and potentially not even in the first round. Powell is 6’5 and around 200 pounds, a full-sized guard with strong athleticism that was a high recruit going into UNC. The problem is that Powell was, to put it frankly, not very good on offense in his freshman season in college. He did, however, play defense at an extremely high level for a player his age, and that combined with his pedigree makes him an interesting play in this range. Powell would certainly not be my first choice but I’d understand the pick.

Big Men

Danny Wolf

Wolf is one of the most intriguing prospects in this class, a 7 foot big man who ran Michigan’s offense and is one of the best passers in the whole draft. Wolf has flashed three point shooting, and his handle is extremely advanced for a guy his size. This all sounds great, right? Well, the defense is a work of progress to put it lightly – it’s unclear whether Wolf can really bang against NBA caliber big men in the post or defend out on the perimeter on smaller guys. The shot is also somewhat of a question mark, as poor free throw shooting numbers indicate a potential deficiency in touch. Still, there’s a unique, excellent player in here, and possibly one of the highest upsides in the class.

Johni Broome

The National College Player of the Year in 2025, Broome starred for an excellent Auburn team that made a deep NCAA Tournament run. He did everything for Auburn, averaging 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game and leading the NCAA in multiple analytics stats (BPM, Win Shares). The issue with Johni is that he’s a bit of a tweener – he might not be a good enough shooter to be a forward in the NBA, but is a bit small to be a center. Still, Johni is just good at basketball, and is someone who could be a potent bench scorer for the Clippers as soon as his rookie year.

Ryan Kalkbrenner

Kalkbrenner is another guy who’s about as “Clippers” a pick as possible. He’s old (23.5), has top-tier college pedigree (five years at Creighton, shout out Cole Huff), and was very productive his last three years in school. A traditional big man who scores in the paint, rebounds, and blocks shots, Kalkbrenner somewhat expanded his range beyond the three-point line the past two seasons, and has a solid free throw percentage for a big. There’s almost no upside there, but Kalkbrenner seems like someone who could be a fine backup big right away.

10 Interesting Prospects for the Clippers in the 2025 Draft
Robert Flom