New Orleans Pelicans 2009 Lottery Re-Draft: Where does Holiday Go Now?

Two more players jump into the lottery

If they had to do it again, most teams would choose differently but the Pacers and Suns would definitely like to have this draft to do again.

Darren Collison was originally drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans, but made a jump into the lottery in our re-draft.

It’s hard to believe that Collison, who made the All-Rookie team for the New Orleans Pelicans, and was 4th in the Rookie of the Year voting, would still be the sixth point guard taken in this draft.

The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Collison as a replacement for the injured Chris Paul but then promptly traded him the next year after his promising rookie campaign.

If the New Orleans Pelicans could do it again they might just keep Collison and pair him with Paul.

Collison ended up on the Pacers the next year anyway, so it makes sense to bypass the New Orleans Pelicans as a middle man and just draft him in Indiana.

This is another one that seems like serendipity, as Aron Baynes ended up on the Suns anyway and the Aussie Boomer has had his best games in Phoenix.

Baynes was another late bloomer, but once he developed a 3-point shot, he was destined to have a long career in the NBA as a stretch-five off of someone’s bench.

Baynes would be a good fit for the New Orleans Pelicans and will undoubtedly be one of the bigs they scout in the offseason.

That concludes the 2009 NBA Lottery re-draft.

Though the New Orleans Pelicans did not have a pick in the lottery, their future would be greatly changed by the picks that came before their selection.

This was one of the ultimate “what if” drafts and things in the NBA would look much differently if teams could do it again.

Thanks for reading and stay safe out there!