The first big pivot of this mock arrives at No. 5. Literally.
After Mara’s mythical-sounding measurements at the NBA Draft Combine (7’3″ without shoes, 9’9″ standing reach), the Clippers might feel like they can’t afford to pass him up to fill their Ivica Zubac-sized hole on the interior.
This is, admittedly, on the high end of Mara’s projections, but it reflects a few things. First, Mara’s stock is skyrocketing. Second, L.A. may not have a huge appetite for the smaller guards in this tier after adding Darius Garland at the trade deadline. Third, none of these lead guards will enter the league free of rather sizable concerns: defense for Darius Acuff Jr., explosion for Keaton Wagler, shooting for Kingston Flemings and consistency for Mikel Brown Jr.
Selecting Mara here would raise eyebrows, but the Clippers wouldn’t be making this pick in hopes of earning praise from live draft-graders. Rather, they’d be betting on the big fella being one of the five best players in this class, and with his size, paint protection, close-range finishing and guard-like feel for passing, L.A. just might win that wager.