There was absolutely no shot that Caleb Wilson would fall lower than No. 4 to the Chicago Bulls in the draft. The Clippers would've loved for him to slip to No. 5, though, when they went with Keaton Wagler. It's great for Wilson that didn't happen after LA circumvented the salary cap for Kawhi Leonard with several off-court endorsement deals.
The league issued a slew of penalties to the Clippers, including the loss of five first-round draft picks in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033. That's the most brutal blow, as it nearly wipes out LA's chances of having even a somewhat promising future (or much of one at all).
For the Clippers fans out there who will fight through the pain and force themselves to try to find pleasure in whatever product it is that Los Angeles trots on the court, Wilson would've truly been a sight for sore eyes. He'd give them something real to feel hopeful about, but it would've been a travesty for his talents to be banished to Los Angeles.
Clippers couldn't pick higher than No. 5
There was no way for LA to sneak into the top-four to get Wilson, anyway. The pick would've gone to the Pacers had it landed in the top four, which it had a 52.1% chance of doing, as part of the Ivica Zubac trade. The Clippers got wildly lucky, as is, without walking away from draft night with the North Carolina star.
Knowing Wilson's competitive fire and his upbeat attitude, he would've tried to make the best of the situation in Los Angeles. It wouldn't have translated into wins, though not to his own fault, but to the organization's.
Wilson told ESPN's Jamal Collier in August that he has high expectations for his rookie year, outside of adding a Rookie of the Year trophy to his collection.
"I do expect to win," he said. "Whatever it takes to win is what I'm going to do."
If he were in LA, he would've said the same thing, not knowing that "whatever it takes" would've meant cloning himself at least five times. Seriously, though, Wilson would've been stuck between much worse than a rock and a hard place, if that exists.
Chicago was the right place for Wilson to end up, which is what he believes, too. Years down the road, when we look back on the 2026 draft, the discussion won't be about how he should've gone lower to a team like the Clippers, but higher than No. 4. He has that level of potential, but you knew that already.
Add us as a preferred source on Google