The batch of top guards will be in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Clippers are spending this week doing homework on the position everyone expects them to address later this month.
According to NBA draft insider Krysten Peek, the team is hosting four of the top guard prospects in the class for pre-draft workouts this week, with Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, Kingston Flemings, and Brayden Burries all coming through ahead of the June 23 draft.
The Clippers hold the No. 5 pick, the highest selection in franchise history, after the lottery delivered on the first-round pick they landed from the Indiana Pacers in the Ivica Zubac trade.
The team finished the regular season 42-40, climbing back from a 6-21 start to grab the ninth seed in the Western Conference before falling to the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament.
It was the first time Los Angeles missed the playoffs since 2022, and with the top four picks expected to be off the board quickly, the front office gets its choice of the guard tier.
The Four Guards in the Building
Acuff is probably the biggest name of the group after a freshman season at Arkansas that earned him SEC Player of the Year.
Acuff averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 44 percent from three, and he led the SEC in both scoring and assists, something only Pete Maravich had done in the same season.
Wagler took a much different path to the lottery, arriving at Illinois as a lightly recruited guard before averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on his way to Big Ten Rookie of the Year and a run to the Final Four.
Flemings ran the show for Houston as a freshman, putting up 16.1 points and 5.2 assists while shooting 38.7 percent from deep, and his speed makes him arguably the best defender of the four.
Burries led Arizona in scoring at 16.1 points per game on 50 percent shooting, and at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds he brings the strongest frame in the group along with a smooth three-level scoring game.
Why Wagler Is the Best Choice
The answer starts with Darius Garland.
The Clippers traded James Harden to get him at the deadline, and Garland is the lead guard going forward after averaging 19.9 points in 19 games with Los Angeles.
Acuff and Flemings are smaller lead guards who would need the ball in the same spots Garland does, which is a real concern if the Clippers take Acuff at No. 5.
Wagler measured 6-foot-6 and can play on or off the ball, so he fits next to Garland instead of behind him while filling the shooting need that has hovered over this roster.
All four will hear their names called early on June 23.
This week of workouts should tell the Clippers which one belongs in their building for good.
