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.
The NBA has been undergoing a change for quite some time now. Big men, once the giants that dominated the court and controlled the course of the game, are changing. No longer do they call for the ball down low, post up their man for 20 seconds of the shot clock, and put up a shot. Now, centers are required to be mobile, able to play in the pick and roll, come off cuts, or be so incredible on defense that their offense just needs to not be a liability. Lets take a look at Chris Walker, out of Florida.
The Basics:
Age: 20
Height (with shoes): 6’9.25”
Weight: 208
Wingspan: 7’2.75”
Standing Reach: 9’0”
2014-2015 stats: 4.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks in 14.6 minutes per game
Draft Projections: Second round to Undrafted.
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Strengths:
Chris Walker is an interesting prospect in that he has a lot of great physical skills, and is incredibly raw as a player. At 6-foot-9, he’s not particularly tall for a power forward, but his seven plus wingspan on top of a nine foot standing reach, and some crazy athleticism creates real promise with Walker.
All of Walker’s physical tools add up for a mixed bag of skills. He averaged 1.3 blocks per game in his 14 minutes, which is pretty solid, and on offense was able to use his athletecism to be a decent cut man. Considering the NBA’s current love affair with big men that can play off ball, and be solid rim protectors, these are two areas that Walker shows a lot of potential in for NBA teams. Which right now, potential is what Walker has going for him more than anything else.
Weaknesses:
For all the potential, and physical skills, that Walker has going for him right now. He lacks any actual NBA skills. There is no jumpshot to speak of, his awareness on the court needs a lot of work, and his defense is inconsistent at best. Foul trouble plagued him throughout his career, and it was very clear that he got away with a lot by relying on his athleticism.
The good news is a lot of these areas can be taught, but Walker has to go to the right environment. In reality, it would have been better for him had he stayed in college and continued to work on his game, but off court matters and NCAA eligibility forced Walker to go pro before he was ready. He’s not an offcourt problem, but there are questions about his work ethic. If he can land on a team that has a great D-League environment and history of development then there’s a lot to work with here.
Projected Role:
Which is exactly why the Pelicans should avoid Chris Walker. Not only are they one of the further diminishing teams in the NBA without their own D-League franchise, but they have so far not shown the patience to develop project players. He has no role with the Pelicans other than being cut in training camp, because right now Walker just isn’t good enough to play for an NBA team. There’s hope for him, and his story paints him as someone worth cheering for, but the Pelicans are not for him.
Stats, measturments, and information came from Draft Express