Texas A&M Basketball: 5 best fits for Robert Williams in 2018 NBA Draft
By Jeff Shull
Los Angeles Clippers
It’s pretty clear the Los Angeles Clippers like a defensive big man who can catch lobs and crash the glass. DeAndre Jordan has been doing that essentially his entire career. Williams is of similar mold to DeAndre, but might be even more athletic and capable of defending smaller guys when he switches on the pick n’ roll.
Of course, this only makes sense if the Clippers continue their rebuild and trade Jordan or let him walk after next season. There isn’t room on an NBA team for two big men whose value is mostly on the defensive end of the floor and can’t shoot free throws. The Clippers proved they are more interested in the future when they traded Chris Paul before the season and Blake Griffin during the season.
According to Spotrac, Jordan has one year left on his deal, so even if the Clippers can’t find someone to take on his expiring contract, they could draft Williams to be the big man in their rebuild. The elite teams in this league put floor spacers and versatile defenders around a big man who protects the rim. The Clippers still need plenty of help. Williams would be just one of the pieces of that puzzle, but an important one.
Los Angeles has the 12th and 13th overall picks in the 2018 draft. Getting a point guard and Williams with those picks would give Clipper fans some hope they can return to Lob City. If you believe mock drafts, most of them have the Clippers taking Williams with the 13th pick.