New Orleans Pelicans 2015 NBA Draft Profiles: Jarell Martin
It is that time of year again. With the NBA Draft just a few weeks away it is time to start looking at players that the New Orleans Pelicans can potentially draft. While most of the players that we profile will be second round players since the Pelicans currently only have a second round pick, there will also be a few first round talents mixed in with the bunch as well. Considering the Pelicans are pretty set in the backcourt and at power forward the profiles will focus on wing players that fit into a small forward role and backup big men, places the Pelicans can stand to get a bit better.
If there’s one area the New Orleans Pelicans could have used improvement on last season it would definitely have been bench scoring. Sure, they had guys like Ryan Anderson, but the majority of their bench was comprised of defense first players. This is strange in a way considering how poor last year’s defense was, but that’s besides the point. New Orleans could have used some more offensive minded guys coming off the bench, and that’s why it might be in their interest to look at Jarell Martin.
The Basics:
Age: 21
Height (with shoes): 6’9.25”
Weight: 239
Wingspan: 6’9.75”
Standing Reach: 8’10.5”
2014-2015 stats: 16.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 0.7 blocks in 35.1 minutes per game
Draft Projections: Second round.
Strengths:
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Jarell Martin played a big role at LSU, and his performance earned him First Team All-SEC along with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. He was a good scorer, averaging 18 points per 40 minutes, and showed a knowledge of how to use his athleticism and superior ball handling skills to get to the rim. He was difficult to defend for many college forwards, thanks to his superior strength and quickness, which compliments his face-up game well. A lot of his current skills should translate over well to the NBA.
Martin also has the potential to be a solid regular post up player as well if he puts in the work. He didn’t spend too much time in the low post in college, but when he did there were flashes of promise. His footwork needs some re-tooling, but that can be taught while is quickness and ability to finish through contact comes naturally.
Weaknesses:
Despite being such a great scorer, there are a lot of reasons Martin finds himself projected for the second round instead of the fist. For starters, his measurements are going to cause him to struggle against bigger players. At 6-foot-9, Martin’s wingspan is only 6-foot-9.25, and his defense is going to suffer as a result. He already wasn’t a very good defender in college, allowing players to establish deep post position on him far too often. There were also lots of moments, and dumb fouls, that left many questioning his defensive awareness. This might explain why, despite good size and athleticism, Martin was only an average defensive rebounder in college. Couple this with allowing a good handful of offensive rebounds, and Martins on the defensive end can be quite a liability.
This would be okay if Martin was a guaranteed scorer on offense, but his jumpshot is still not quite where it needs to be. He shot less than 70 percent at the free throw line, and his mechanics were inconsistent. This is an area that can be fixed, and improved, but right now it’s a big problem. NBA defenses are going to force Martin to shoot, and he won’t be able to dominate his way to the basket the way he did in college. Martin is either going to have to become a much better defender, or a much better shooter, if he wants to find himself contributing meaningful minutes at the NBA level.
Projected Role:
Martin is probably not gonna be in the Pelicans range unless they’re involved in a trade that moves them up. If that were to happen, or if he were to somehow fall very far, then he would be a nice wing scorer for the Pelicans. It’s unlikely that he’ll be spending a lot of time at Power Forward in the NBA due to his measurements, but if Martin improves his jumpshot then he could be a real threat on the offensive end of the floor. If his defense improves then he could be a solid perimeter stopper that can take the ball and bully his way to the basket on offense. Not to say he can’t improve in both areas, but lets just assume he only focuses on one area or the other for now.
All of that said, it’s probably for the best that the Pelicans don’t draft Martin. New Orleans is in need of shooting, and Martin is gonna be a work in progress on that end of the floor. Not only this, but Martin is in need of some development before he’s ready to contribute well at an NBA level. The Pelicans are more so looking for talents that are NBA ready at this moment. New Orleans probably passes on Martin.
Stats, measturments, and information came from Draft Express