New Orleans Sold a Late Second-Round Defensive Prospect
The Pelicans used the fifty-sixth overall selection in 2015 on Branden Dawson from Michigan State and transferred his draft rights to Los Angeles for cash. Dawson had earned attention as a tough college rebounder and defender, not as a polished NBA offensive player. For the Clippers, an inexpensive second-round audition fit behind established big men and veteran wings. New Orleans instead accepted money immediately. The official franchise announcement identifies a sale of rights, not the transfer of a player already under NBA contract.
Dawson Reached the Clippers Bench, but for Six Games
Dawson appeared in six Los Angeles regular-season contests in 2015-16. Those appearances totaled twenty-nine minutes, five points and four rebounds, with no starts. The Clippers saw enough to give him a short professional audition, but the small amount of time cannot be inflated into a rotation season. His college defensive credentials and later work outside the league do not count as Clippers NBA output. The acquired player never earned another regular-season NBA appearance after those six games.
The Pelicans Received Immediate Cash, Not Player Minutes
New Orleans obtained cash considerations for the draft selection and avoided spending a roster slot on Dawson. This was a real financial return, but no reliable source in the transaction file establishes an exact amount. The Pelicans cannot be assigned hypothetical players purchased with that money, and they cannot count the six Dawson appearances made for Los Angeles. The known result is simply payment for an uncertain second-round prospect. That makes the selling club rational without demonstrating an exceptional basketball gain.
A Brief Tryout and a Cash Receipt Support Balanced Grades
Both organizations got what their small transaction was designed to provide: the Clippers inspected a college defender in actual NBA games while New Orleans converted a late draft option into money. Neither side collected enough sporting value to claim a major victory. In particular, six games and fewer than thirty minutes do not warrant an aggressive Clippers grade, but an unknown cash amount cannot support the inherited Pelicans B either. The appropriate historical judgment is an even low-stakes exchange with restrained grades.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Los Angeles earns C because Branden Dawson played six Clippers regular-season games, totaling twenty-nine minutes and five points. New Orleans earns C+ for accepting cash in return for a late second-round selection. Neither receiving-team result supports an emphatic winner, and the previously recorded Pelicans B grade overstated the known return.