It's a bit tough to pin down exactly what the Los Angeles Clippers are going to be looking for in this year's NBA Draft.
The team has needs all over the roster.
They need a guard they can pair with James Harden. They also need a power forward.
Los Angeles Clipper logo at center court
Los Angeles Clipper logo
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Really, they need all kinds of help in the frontcourt as they lacked size outside of Ivica Zubac.
ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel thinks that will be the issue they address in this year's draft.
In a new mock draft, Siegel predicted the Clippers would select Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner in the first round.
Kalkbrenner would fill one big need for the Clippers.
They had no options at center behind Zubac this past season.
Kalkbrenner would be a very good option to be able to turn to when Zubac needs a rest.
He racked up accolades during his time at Creighton. He earned the Big East Defensive Player of the year award four times and was the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year this past season.
He earned All-Big East honors three times and was named an All-American in 2025.
Kalkbrenner was more than just a great defender. He was also a huge part of the Bluejays' offense.
He averaged 19.2 points per game this past season and showed off his ability to stretch the floor, shooting 34.4% from three.
Kalkbrenner is definitely a solid prospect who would fill a need for the Clippers, I'm just not sure he's the right pick for them.
The upside of this pick would be heavily capped because Kalkbrenner wouldn't be unseating Zubac as the starter any time soon.
With limited draft capital in the coming years, it doesn't feel like a great idea for the Clippers to be spending a first rounder on a guy who they'd know is only going to come off of the bench for a while.
It would't be the worst thing for the Clippers to end up with Kalkbrenner, but hopefully they are looking at options who can have a larger impact.