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Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Let's start with the boring stuff, which is also, by no coincidence, the most realistic.

The Clippers are the only team without a draft pick heading into Thursday night's festivities, but it doesn't have to be that way. Teams sell picks all the time for multitudes of reasons, and franchises that are willing to spend end up reaping the benefits of that frugality.

That is, after all, how the crosstown rival Los Angeles Lakers ended up with Jordan Clarkson last year, buying the rights to the 46th overall pick from the Washington Wizards for $1.8 million. Think they regretted that one bit after Clarkson made First-Team All-Rookie?

Of course, not everyone you draft in the second round will end up making an All-Rookie team. (How's that for a bold statement?) But for the Clippers, finding as many second-round guys as possible could end up working out well for them.

Essentially, L.A. might be best off playing the draft the same way the Brooklyn Nets did a year ago, chasing second-rounders for cash and then hoping just one of those guys fits.

It's not about batting average. Just total hits.

The Nets got particularly lucky finding Markel Brown, who was a starter by the end of the year, and Cory Jefferson, who could end up being a rotation player for them next season, in the mid-to-late second.

Teams can spend up to $3.3 million in the calendar year during transactions. The Clips have only spent $300,000 of that total so far (they did that in the deal that sent Jared Cunningham to the Philadelphia 76ers).

Now, with a generous owner for the first time ever, the Clippers are buyers. We'll see how they decide to spread out their money come Thursday.