What Nickeil Alexander-Walker needs to improve
Like most young players, Nickeil Alexander-Walker lacked consistency in his rookie season, especially with his shot.
He shot just 33.9 percent overall, which is not a good number for a shooting guard. He did shoot a slightly better 34.2 percent from 3-point range, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to get him off the bench.
Most rookies struggle with the NBA 3-pointer in their first season, as it is a big adjustment in both distance and also defensive pressure.
But NAW struggled from all over the floor offensively, shooting just 37.3 percent on shots under five feet, 29.2 percent on shots between five and nine feet and 33.3 percent on shots between 10-14 feet.
NAW also shot just 60.7 percent from the line, which is something he must improve, as he has a chance to be a guy who draws a lot of fouls.
Nickeil Walker-Alexander has the quickness and size to get into the paint, but he has to get better at finishing once he does.
Improving his 3-point shot would help, but ultimately he must get better at finishing at the rim.
With a number of talented scorers, the New Orleans Pelicans don’t necessarily need Nickeil Walker-Alexander to score a ton of points, but he needs to get better on defense if he wants to play increased minutes in year two.
He is quietly very important for the Pelicans’ future, as his improvement would potentially allow the Pels to trade Jrue Holiday.
But that can’t happen until NAW is better on defense, as the New Orleans Pelicans will need him to replace Holiday’s defensive intensity and versatility. Good luck with that.
The future is still very bright for the 21-year-old, but he himself would probably admit that he is disappointed in how the season turned out, especially after such a strong start.
If Nickeil Walker-Alexander can improve his shooting consistency, especially around the hoop and transform into a lockdown defender, he will have a long career for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Let’s take a look at his grade for the season prior to the hiatus.