The Clippers originally had the 52nd pick in the draft, traded back to 57 for cash, then traded back up to 55 using some of that cash, all to select Nick Martinelli, a forward from Northwestern.
Martinelli is a 6’6, 200 pound senior that averaged 23 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2 assists per game in his last year at Northwestern. Despite his strong scoring numbers, Martinelli was not a dynamic three-point shooter (good percentage, low volume), instead living in the midrange and at the free throw line. He’s a smart, high-feel player that doesn’t have great athleticism, and will definitely need to adjust to NBA size and athleticism.
Honestly, I like the Martinelli pick a lot. Like Miller, he’s on the older side (already 22), but he is a good basketball player who has real utility as a bench scorer. The big swing skill for him will be the three-point shot. If he can push his dynamite midrange game behind the arc, there’s probably a real NBA career for him. If the three-point shot does not develop, he’s likely not going to stick in the NBA.
I’d guess Nick is going to be on a two-way deal, but we will see!