L.A. Clippers Cannot Afford To Give Up on Mr. 2012

A little more than a year ago I came to the realization that the Los Angeles Clippers owned a "golden" draft pick.

That draft pick has been a project-in-waiting for quite some time and we still won’t get the final result for another 16 months. His name is still Mr. ?

But the reality is the Clippers own a very good chance at getting a 2012 draft pick that could be a franchise changer, just like Blake Griffin was two years ago.

In 2005 the Clippers traded guard Marko Jaric to Minnesota for a future first round pick. That pick has been lottery and or top-10 protected ever since. The pick officially becomes unprotected for the 2012 NBA Draft.

Baring some unforeseen miracle improvement by the Timberwolves next season, the Clippers will get to select in the lottery in 2012 and it may not be because of their own failure to succeed.

Reportedly the Clippers attempted to trade the pick in the past few days to Denver for Danilo Gallinari, who is certainly a solid NBA player. Denver passed and the Clippers should feel lucky they did.

But since they have waited this long, they ought to think about holding on to it.

Having the possibility of getting someone like Austin Rivers is too great to pass up. Rivers is the next Dwayne Wade and could team with Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon to give the "other" Los Angeles team a serious chance at contending for an NBA title in a few years.

And even if the Clippers don’t land Rivers, there are many quality small forwards that should be available including Kentucky-bound Michael Gilchrist and Anthony Davis, North Carolina-bound James McAdoo and Baylor-bound Quincy Miller. Any of these current high school seniors would be a nice compliment to Griffin in the front court.

If the Clippers are to make any deals before Thursday’s trading deadline, they ought to consider offloading pieces that they already have.

Center Chris Kaman, who has been injured much of this season, was an All-Star just a year ago and could be attractive to a number of teams since quality big-men are hard to come by. Kaman turns 29 in April, and with the recent play of DeAndre Jordan, there may not be a better opportunity to get something in return for him.

Kaman for Gallinari might have been a better offer.

If the Clippers can just remain a little more patient, the end rewards will play out really well.