Full Breakdown
Clippers No. 5, Nets No. 6 Define 2026 NBA Draft
6/19/2026, 10:59:32 PM
Clippers Hold No. 5, Nets Pick Sixth
The 2026 NBA Draft opens at 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday, June 23, in Brooklyn, with the Los Angeles Clippers holding the No. 5 pick and the Brooklyn Nets picking at No. 6 after the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls. The top-four prospects—AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke) and Caleb Wilson (North Carolina)—are projected to fill slots 1-4.
Recent Trades & Roster Landscape
The Clippers secured the No. 5 slot after trading center Ivica Zubac to Indiana for a first-rounder; Indiana’s tanking left the pick outside the top four. Earlier, Los Angeles sent James Harden to Cleveland for point guard Darius Garland, who posted 19.9 points and 6.4 assists in 19 games. The team also faces a title window with 34-year-old Kawhi Leonard entering the final year of his contract. The franchise has a 15-season streak of finishes above .500, reached the Western Conference finals once, and has not won a playoff series since 2021.
Guard Quartet & Draft Odds
The CBS Sports Big Board lists the next four top prospects as point guards: Keaton Wagler (Illinois, 6-ft-5 shooting guard), Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas, 6-ft-3 point guard), Kingston Flemings (Houston, 6-ft-4 shooting guard) and Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville, 6-ft-4 guard). Wagler earned the Jerry West Award and led Illinois in scoring and assists as a freshman; Acuff won the Bob Cousy Award and SEC Player of the Year; Brown set an ACC freshman scoring record with 45 points. Betting markets list Brown as +195 favorite for No. 5 (O/U 6.5, Under –165), Acuff +245 (Under –190), Wagler +310 (Under –245) and Flemings +1200 (Under –275). The Nets’ mock board places Wagler at No. 5 and Brown at No. 6.
Team Strategies & Outlook
Clippers officials say the No. 5 pick could start a rebuild or be packaged for a veteran if a title window with Leonard is realistic. Nets executives, after a season focused on size and playmaking, are expected to target a guard at No. 6 and value depth picks at No. 33 and No. 43.
Title Concerns
Analysts note that despite a 15-year streak of winning records, the Clippers have not advanced beyond the Western Conference finals and have not won a playoff series since 2021, raising doubts about a title run in Leonard’s final contract year.
Pick Uncertainty
The Clippers’ plan for the No. 5 selection remains unconfirmed; sources differ on whether the team will retain, trade, or select a guard despite Garland’s presence. Injury histories for Brown and limited college experience for the guard quartet add risk factors not fully addressed in scouting reports.
Next Steps
The draft begins at 7 p.m. CT on June 23. Post-draft scenarios may involve the Clippers trading the No. 5 asset and the Nets finalizing a guard selection, shaping rosters for the 2026-27 season.
