The New Orleans Pelicans made the playoffs last season, but find themselves with a top ten selection in tonight’s NBA Draft. The top four players on the board seem set, but after that, it seems like anyone’s guess. Jake Madison, host of the Locked on Pelicans podcast, says it appears the Pels have plenty of interest in one player in particular.
“I think first and foremost they’re really looking at Dyson Daniels, the kind of wing/guard out of Australia,” said Madison. “This is one of the first guys they brought in for a workout during this draft process. I think they’ve been really high on him as kind of a secondary playmaker to pair alongside Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson to create a little bit for others and give you good versatility on defense.”
One of the major factors in New Orleans turning its season around was the improvement of the Pelicans’ defense. If they select Dyson Daniels, who played last season for the NBA’s G-League Elite squad, Madison says they’ll get a highly-skilled and versatile defender with room to improve offensively.
“They like guys that can guard multiple positions and Dyson Daniels at 6-7 with a 7-foot wingspan fits that profile,” he said. “The one knock on him, the only knock on him really, going into this draft process is his shooting. But he shot well in his pre-draft workouts, and of course, the Pelicans have one of the better shot doctors, shot coaches in the league, in Fred Vinson.”
The Pelicans have 14 of their 15 roster spots already filled, and they have three picks in the draft, including two second-round selections. There has been speculation that New Orleans may be looking to move a couple of players, and Madison says it’s more likely the Pels trade back to unload Jaxson Hayes or Devonte Graham than it is that they move up to snag one of the top players on the board.
“I wonder if Devonte Graham really could be on the move,” Madison said. “I think they don’t want to have to make a decision on Jaxson Hayes; if they want to pay him in the future or not, given that he’s going to be a Restricted Free Agent after this season. If they could get off of some of those decisions while still getting a guy in the draft that they like…there are some moves potentially to be made there.”
It’s been quite some time since Pelicans fans have been as optimistic heading into the draft. It seems like a new day in New Orleans and Madison says David Griffin and the rest of the front office are in an enviable position.
“They’re in a position to go any direction with this draft,” he added. “Given that the starters are set, the rotation, for the most part, seems like it would be set too and we don’t foresee a rookie getting significant minutes, they’re in a good position and there are very few wrong moves for them to make.”
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