New Orleans Pelicans: 3 late-draft candidates to watch in March Madness

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New Orleans Pelicans executives David Griffin and Trajan Langdon discuss a player in the BIG 3 Playoffs ahead of March Madness

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – AUGUST 25: Executive VP of Basketball Operations for the Pelicans David Griffin talks with Pelicans General Manager Trajan Langdon during the BIG3 Playoffs at Smoothie King Center on August 25, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/BIG3 via Getty Images) /

Owning three picks in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans will have their eyes on March Madness to find fringe prospects.

When the calendar flips to March, the eyes of many around the world turn to focus on college basketball, even for New Orleans Pelicans fans. After all, there are very few, if any, times of the year or sporting tournaments that are more thrilling than March Madness.

This is the time of the year when fans watch for upsets, wait for the next bright stars to rise, and overall get a whole bunch of high-level, high-stakes basketball tournaments.

Heading into their final stretch of the 2019-2020 campaign, the New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of a playoff chase on the floor, but behind the scenes, their scouting season is in full swing.

Over the next few weeks, scouting departments and front office members around the league will be closely tuned in to both the conference and NCAA tournaments, as to affirm their opinions on the best of the best while trying to find diamonds in the rough.

However, no scouting departments are made the same and different teams will find value in different players, the Pelicans being no exception ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft.

The New Orleans Pelicans have a hefty pile of draft assets over the next handful of years. This year, they own their first and second picks, plus the second-round picks of the Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards.

It’ll be important, of course, for the New Orleans Pelicans to find players that complement this team’s core and especially players who fit alongside Zion Williamson.

Don’t expect this team to chase any centers in the early portion this year’s draft, unless they can find someone with quick feet who can hit good shots from the perimeter… but that’s unlikely unless they find the next Bam Adebayo in the middle of the first round.

Jaxson Hayes fits the mold for the team’s traditional center of the future, but it would make sense to find more versatility at that position.

As the team already has a stockpile of scoring wings, including Didi Louzada who will join the team before the 2020-2021 season after a year of international preparation, it would make a lot of sense for the team to try to find some tough-defending players with some shooting skill.