Clippers insist on open mind

Sam Cassell turns 38 in November, Shaun Livingston is recovering from a severe knee injury and Daniel Ewing struggled in the spotlight last season, so it seems the Clippers would select a point guard in today’s NBA draft.

Right?

“You don’t always pick someone in an area of need,” said General Manager Elgin Baylor, not commenting specifically on the Clippers’ plans. “If you do that [draft for need], you could wind up passing on players at other positions who have more potential than a player where you have a need. ... What sense would that make?”

Sound decisions today could help the Clippers rebound from a disappointing season in which they failed in their bid to earn consecutive playoff berths for the first time since the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. Although losing is nothing new to the Clippers, who have had only six winning records and seven playoff appearances in 37 seasons, they failed while facing expectations for the first time, finishing at 40-42 and returning to the draft lottery for the 16th time in 22 seasons.

An infusion of youth could be just what the Clippers need, and they have the Nos. 14 and 45 picks in a draft considered to be deep.

Point guards Javaris Crittenton of Georgia Tech, Acie Law IV of Texas A&M; and Rodney Stuckey of Eastern Washington participated in individual workouts for the Clippers, but Baylor and Coach Mike Dunleavy have strongly considered using the team’s first-round selection on a perimeter forward/swingman, team and league sources said.

As of Wednesday, Julian Wright of Kansas, Nick Young of USC and Thaddeus Young of Georgia Tech were among the highest-rated players on the Clippers’ draft board. Wright is a probable top-10 pick, a veteran draft evaluator said, but one of the Youngs (who are not related) could be available when the Clippers are on the clock.

The Clippers are familiar with the 6-foot-6 Nick Young, having monitored his development in three seasons with the Trojans. One talent evaluator recently described the former USC standout as a “poor man’s Paul Pierce,” comparing him favorably with the Boston Celtics’ All-Star swingman because of his scoring ability.

Thaddeus Young made a good impression in his workout and in interview sessions with Clippers officials, sources said, and the Clippers believe he could have the most potential of any player available to them.

Listed at 6 feet 8, Young turned 19 last week. He played only one season at Georgia Tech and isn’t considered as polished as Nick Young, but could emerge as an elite wing forward or shooting guard in a few seasons, scouts said.

“You would like to get a player who can come in and play right away, a player who can give you some quality minutes, but that’s not always the case,” Baylor said. “If you can’t get that, you look at the long-term potential of a player.”

The Clippers also must look to the short-term future with Corey Maggette.

The veteran forward can terminate the final year of his contract and become a free agent after next season. The Clippers could be short-handed on the wing if Maggette left, so that could become an area of need too.

The Clippers did not have a first-round selection in the 2006 draft, and their 2005 lottery pick, Yaroslav Korolev, has not developed as expected.

The 20-year-old Russian forward played in 24 games as a rookie and only 10 in the 2006-07 season.

The team in October declined to exercise the third-year option in the contract of the former 12th overall pick, making him an unrestricted free agent after the season.

jason.reid@latimes.com