In the hours after the 2019 NBA Draft, Sean Marks admitted that he took a “calculated risk” in trading the 27th pick in the first round to the Clippers for a future first, not knowing whether “our guy,” Nicolas Claxton, would be available four picks later.
Marks told reporters that the team had been targeting Claxton late in the first round and were happy to get him at No. 31.
“I think this gave us an opportunity, maybe a little bit of a gamble, but a calculated risk that we knew we could probably get our guy that we wanted (Claxton) and we’re ecstatic to have Nic join the team and then also delay that first round pick another year and then pick up a second round pick as well.