Clippers Were the Quiet Winners of NBA Draft Lottery

The maximum possible penalties include a $7.5 million fine, the voiding of Leonard’s contract, and the stripping of multiple future draft picks. If Adam Silver did so, it would severely restrict the Clippers’ ability to build a competitive roster in a post-Leonard era.

Leonard, 34, has one year left on his current contract worth $50.3 million.

But the No. 5 pick gives the organization someone to build around if the NBA indeed hits it with the maximum penalties. That’s desperately needed, as L.A. does not fully control its own first-round picks until 2030. Because the Pacers pick was conveyed to the Clippers, Indiana now will fully retain its 2031 first-round selection. The Clippers would have netted the 2031 pick had the Pacers’ 2026 pick stayed in the top four.

The Clippers also narrowly avoided more pain Sunday. In addition to getting the Pacers pick, their own pick landed at No. 12 overall. That pick belongs to the Thunder as a result of the 2019 Paul George trade and could have gone even higher for the defending champions.

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