Pelicans select Branden Dawson with 56th pick, sell him to Clippers

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The Los Angeles Clippers got to participate in the draft, after all.

The New Orleans Pelicans selected Michigan State small forward Branden Dawson with the No. 56 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft on Thursday night, immediately selling his rights to the Clippers.

Dawson's inconsistency in college didn't keep him from getting drafted, and perhaps his play against No. 10 pick Justise Winslow in the Final Four helped get additional eyes on him. It's still not quite clear what Dawson's role will be - he's ostensibly a small forward that can't shoot threes and measures like a power forward.

The Clippers need productive bodies thanks to some serious cap inflexibility this summer, and Dawson being NBA-ready was surely attractive to them.

When engaged, he's a great rebounder, a physical defender, and the type of dirty-areas player that should ingratiate himself to coach Doc Rivers. That effort has wavered at times, and in those moments it's hard to see him sticking in the NBA, but playing for a contender in a playoff race should get the most out of him.