The New Orleans Pelicans may look to add more size and defense on the wing and Precious Achiuwa would be one way to do it.
The New Orleans Pelicans are in an enviable position coming into the 2020 NBA Draft. With no glaring weaknesses and plenty of young talent, they can draft the player they feel can help them most now, or simply go for the best talent available.
The Pelicans may not have any huge holes, but they definitely have some needs. They will likely need a backup point guard, a veteran center, shooters to stretch the floor and they’d like to get bigger and stronger on the wing.
The New Orleans Pelicans are very talented, buy they are also young, which means many of their players still haven’t developed the type of strength they need to stop guys like LeBron James.
It showed. LeBron went through the spindly arms of the Pelicans’ defenders like they weren’t there, getting wherever he wanted on the floor with little resistance.
Obviously there is only one LeBron, but the New Orleans Pelicans were torched all year by bigger wings, which is a problem, as the NBA is currently loaded with them.
Brandon Ingram is a gifted scorer and was playing like a young Durant, but he still lacks strength, though he is getting better defensively.
Other than Ingram and Darius Miller, who is 30-years-old and coming off an injury, the New Orleans Pelicans don’t have a single wing signed for next season.
Josh Hart can occasionally fill that role, but cannot hold down full-time defensive duties against the bigger wings of the NBA.
Some of this will change as the Pelicans age, get stronger and fill out. Most players don’t come into the league with much of a physique and will put on muscle as they spend more time with NBA trainers.
The Pelicans can certainly address this need via free agency, as there is an interesting crop of free agent wings that could fill the 3-and-D role that they currently lack.
The New Orleans Pelicans could also choose to address this need in the draft with a guy like Precious Achiuwa from the University of Memphis.
Achiuwa is one of the lesser-known prospects in this year’s draft, as he played part of the season in the shadow of teammate James Wiseman.
But in the end, Achiuwa could be the more productive prospect for the New Orleans Pelicans. Let’s take a look at his strengths, weaknesses and how he fits on the team.
Precious Achiuwa’s Strengths
Precious Achiuwa is 6-foot-9 forward with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and weighs 223 lbs., so he would instantly be the biggest and strongest wing on the New Orleans Pelicans.
He averaged 1.9 blocks and 1.1 steals per game and projects as one of the best defenders in the draft at any position.
Achiuwa’s 2.9 Defensive Win Shares and 82.5 Defensive Rating were second best in the nation this season, and considering he plays wing, those are numbers the Pelicans must consider.
Achiuwa was also the top rebounder in the AAC, pulling down 10.8 per game to go along with his 15.8 points.
The New Orleans Pelicans’ rebounding numbers are a bit misleading.
Though they are near the top of the league in rebounds per game, it is largely due to their fast pace, and having three guards (Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday and Josh Hart) who are plus-rebounders for their position.
They are just 18th in rebounding percentage because of their high volume of shots.
This is important. Teams that want to run have to finish defensive sets by grabbing the boards.
With Zion Williamson often leaking out for fast-break dunks, the Pelicans need players who can grab defensive boards and throw an outlet pass, especially if Derrick Favors leaves in free agency.
Rebounding is one of the statistics that generally translates well to the NBA and Achiuwa is one of the best in the nation.
With his size and length, Achiuwa should be able to guard multiple positions and slow down some of the bigger wings who torched the Pelicans this season.
Achiuwa has the tools to be the best wing in this draft when it comes to defense and rebounding, which are two things the Pelicans need from the position.
There is a lot to like about Achiuwa as a defensive stopper at the wing, but he does have some weaknesses that should concern the New Orleans Pelicans.
Precious Achiuwa’s Weaknesses
Achiuwa could be the best defensive wing in the draft, but when it comes to offense, he needs a lot of work.
Teams are looking for 3-and-D players and currently Achiuwa is lacking half of that equation. He shoots just 32.5 percent from 3-point range on 1.3 attempts per game, not great numbers for a modern wing.
What’s more concerning is that Achiuwa shoots just 49.4 percent overall, below average for a guy who gets most of his shots around the hoop. His 59.9 percent free throw shooting is also concerning, especially considering he was getting six attempts per game.
This tells us that teams were comfortable fouling Achiuwa rather than allowing him to get easy put-backs and run-outs.
Achiuwa also lacks handles and coughed it up for 2.8 turnovers a game, an alarming number, even for a guy with a 27.7 percent usage rate.
Achiuwa’s strengths and weaknesses were on full display in a monster game against Tulane where he had 22 points, 22 rebounds and five blocks, but also added four turnovers.
Achiuwa has the chance to fill out stat sheets every night, but not always in a good way.
His offensive skills are definitely raw, but the New Orleans Pelicans have one of the best offenses in the league and don’t necessarily need more scoring.
Achiuwa’s plus defense and rebounding could be enough for the Pelicans to decide he’s worth the risk.
How Precious Achiuwa fits on the New Orleans Pelicans
If you want to know how Achiuwa fits on the Pelicans, you just have to take a look at some of their defensive numbers.
Here’s a breakdown of where the New Orleans Pelicans stand in important defensive categories:
-Defensive Rating: 20th
-Steals: 18th
-Opponents’ 2nd Chance Points: 24th
-Opponents’ Fast Break Points: 28th
-Opponents’ Points in the Paint: 28th
The New Orleans Pelicans also ranked at the middle or near the bottom of the league in defense against both forward positions, and considering they play in the Western Conference, which has most of the NBA’s best wings, that is a problem.
Achiuwa has an obvious fit as a guy who can improve nearly all of these numbers, as he can guard both forward positions, use his length to get steals and shut down the paint, while grabbing rebounds on both ends of the floor.
Achiuwa would be the best wing defender on the Pelicans in his very first season and would patch some of the holes they have on that end.
The question is whether his defensive prowess will be enough for the New Orleans Pelicans to overlook his lack of offensive game.
Recent history has shown that guys who can play D at a high level can improve their shooting over time. Players like Jae Crowder come to mind.
If the Pelicans think Achiuwa could be the defensive stopper they need at the wing, they can have patience as he develops the three half of the 3-and-D equation.
He’s an interesting prospect that the Pelicans will take a hard look at if he is still on the board when they pick in the first round.
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