The Clippers’ future looked bleak going into the offseason as they failed to make the playoffs and were limited on first-round picks thanks to the infamous Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder trade in 2019.

A deadline deal with the Indiana Pacers that sent Ivica Zubac to the Pacers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and a top-four protected pick changed their future.

Lottery luck was on their side in the draft lottery as the Pacers’ pick fell to number five, which meant it went to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers selected guard Keaton Wagler out of Illinois, and suddenly the Clippers’ future didn’t look so bleak.

In a new video posted by the Clippers social media team, veteran guard Kris Dunn praised his rookie teammate.

Dunn said that Wagler’s IQ has impressed him the most so far, noting that he’s been able to learn on the fly and pick things up quickly.

“He can shoot, he can make plays for others. Honestly, he’s been defending pretty well.”

Dunn said that it’ll take time for Wagler to adjust and that he knows teams will be physical with him, but he wants to make sure Wagler’s preparation and routine are fine. If the preparation and routine are good, basketball will take care of itself.

One thing Dunn has made a point with Wagler is to encourage him to keep shooting, whether he makes or misses his last shot. Dunn said it comes down to having confidence, and he wants to keep instilling confidence in the rookie.

Wagler was initially tabbed to come off the bench with Max Strus starting in the backcourt alongside Darius Garland.

Strus suffered a foot injury in the first preseason game and is set to be reevaluated in four weeks. That doesn’t mean he’ll be back in four weeks, just that he’ll be out at least four weeks.

With Strus out, Wagler makes the most sense as taking the starting shooting guard spot. He was drafted with the idea that he could play long-term next to Garland. Wagler can play off the ball, attacking off the dribble or acting as a spacer, shooting 39% from three during his only year in college.

He’s already shown confidence in big moments, hitting the game-winning bucket in his first preseason game against the Golden State Warriors despite an overall poor shooting night.

Having a mentor like Dunn and immediate reps with Garland should benefit him in the long run.