New Orleans Pelicans’ Trade Target: Lauri Markkanen
Lauri Markkanen’s Strengths
If the New Orleans Pelicans could fill out a wish list of players to add to their team they would probably name a backup center, a backup point guard, a defensive wing and a stretch-four.
They need a power forward who can shoot, a guy who can stretch the floor and open the lane for Zion Williamson to wreak havoc.
If the guy was a playmaker who can get his own shot and rebound a little, even better.
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Markkanen fits this profile.
At seven-foot tall, and with the ability to both shoot the 3-pointer and put it on the floor, Markkanen is the prototypical, modern stretch-four.
Although his scoring took a step back this year under Boylen, Markkanen still averages 16.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for his career and has only began to scratch the surface of his talent.
Markkanen shoots the 3-pointer at 35.6 percent for his career and was launching 6.3 attempts per game prior to the suspension of play.
His shot is likely to improve if he’s on a team full of playmakers who can get him the ball in the right spots.
Markkanen also has the quickness to beat most defenders his size off the dribble and if he can’t, he can simply shoot over them.
It’s not hard to imagine this guy becoming one of the top scorers in the NBA at some point in his career.
He is still just 22, so his best basketball is still in front of him.
The New Orleans Pelicans have the rare chance to trade for a guy who has not yet hit his prime, and whose timeline fits well with the rest of their young core.