The Los Angeles Clippers should buy a pick in 2017 NBA Draft

The Los Angeles Clippers currently do not have a 2017 NBA draft pick. With the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario coming soon, Doc Rivers should try to change that.

The Los Angeles Clippers are in an interesting spot as the 2017 NBA Draft approaches. They do not have a draft night selection on Thursday night. Their 2017 first round pick went to Toronto as part of the J.J. Redick deal, while their 2017 second round pick was part of the trade that brought Austin Rivers to Los Angeles.

While Clippers fans should be more than happy with what they got from those trades, the moves have left them bereft of incoming talent in a very deep draft. The Clippers have been trading away future assets for years now. However, missing out on this year's draft is particularly painful given both the innovation of two way contracts in the new CBA and the impending creation of a Clippers G-League franchise.

Steve Ballmer is more than willing to shell out money to build this Clippers team. He has spent willingly since the moment he acquired the franchise. The new stadium plan in Inglewood is ample proof that he will continue to do so going forward. With that in mind, Doc Rivers and the Clippers front office should do everything in their power to buy a second round pick on draft night.

A home for new blood

The new collective bargaining agreement's two way contracts will be a huge plus for the Los Angeles Clippers. Under this provision, any NBA can hold their 16th and 17th roster spots for players who can shuttle between the G-League team and an NBA franchise.

Those players would receive more money than typical G-Leaguers. Players on two-way contracts would receive somewhere between $50,000 and $75,000, per reports.

Additionally, the Clippers will have their own G-League team soon. That team could potentially start as early as the 2017-18 season. That franchise will allow the Agua Caliente Clippers to bring up their young players in an LA Clippers system.

Furthermore, the Clippers can easily find playing time for their young prospects. After shuttling between multiple D-League teams last season, Diamond Stone and Brice Johnson will certainly appreciate that move.

Purchasing prospects

With the 2017 NBA draft expected to be one of the deepest in years, the Los Angeles Clippers might not be able to find a suitor to purchase a pick. However, second round picks in the mid-40s are often swapped for cash.

The Utah Jazz in particular loom as an intriguing option with the 42nd and 55th overall picks. The Jazz already have two picks in the middle of the draft at No. 24 and No. 30 and could use the cash and roster space to pursue their upcoming free agents. If the Clippers can find a seller, that would be an enticing prospect.

The more important enticing prospects, however, are the draft-eligible players that the Los Angeles Clippers might be able to acquire. Although the 2017 draft might not have the same level of superstar talent at the top like the heavily lauded 1998 and 2003 NBA Drafts, there will be valuable players available in the mid to late second round.

Infusion of young talent

The Los Angeles Clippers will have a plethora of choices if they can buy a second round pick. One option that would fit in well with the Clippers would be Georgetown's L.J. Peak. Peak will probably be a late second round draft pick. He is the 46th pick on The Ringer's mock draft board.

Peak is a versatile offensive player with the ability to run pick-and-rolls, in addition to being a good off-ball cutter. While his shot has been inconsistent, his solid free throw shooting indicates that his poor shooting as a junior may be an aberration.

Furthermore, Peak has the size at 6'5" with a 6'10" wingspan to defend guards and wings. Additionally, he is a solid athlete with the lateral quickness and craftiness near the rim to be effective in the NBA:

Sindarius Thornwell would be another solid choice for the Clippers. Thornwell will probably go late in the second round despite his stellar NCAA tournament for South Carolina. He ran the offense effectively at times for the Gamecocks, despite being a pure shooting guard who is more of a secondary creator.

Thornwell is an inconsistent shooter as well, but his quick release will allow him to get shots up despite his limited athleticism:

In addition to his offensive potential, Thornwell is a dogged defender with an NBA-ready frame that will allow to defend multiple positions. With a few ball-dominant guards already on the roster in Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford, both Peak and Thornwell would be solid fits as complementary offensive pieces with defense-first mindsets.

Build for the future

The Los Angeles Clippers are facing a potentially tumultuous offseason. Both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin could leave this summer in moves that would be devastating to a recently perennial playoff team with a long history of woeful basketball.

With Jerry West now in the fold, the Clippers will hopefully have more of an eye toward the future than they have in recent years. The easiest way for the Clippers to look to the future would be to buy their way into a talent-rich 2017 draft.

L.J. Peak and Sindarius Thornwell would be solid choices, but this draft is rife with potential contributors. Doc Rivers and Lawrence Frank should be doing all that they can in the days to come to ensure that the Clippers acquire some young talent on Thursday night.