NBA Mock Draft 4.0: What if the New Orleans Pelicans Make the Playoffs?
New Orleans Pelicans: Mock Draft Pick #17
Shooting Guard/Small Forward. New Orleans Pelicans. player. 69. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Josh Green. 17
If the New Orleans Pelicans claim the 8th seed in the Western Conference, they will fall out of the draft lottery and likely get the 17th pick.
At this point in the draft teams generally try to plug a need or shoot for the fences on a guy with unrealized potential.
Josh Green could potentially be the defensive-minded wing the Pelicans lack in their second unit. At 6-foot-6 but with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Green projects as a guy who will be able to guard multiple positions in the NBA.
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He wasn’t a volume shooter in college but did knock down 36.1 percent of his 3-point shots for Arizona. He’s one of the younger players in the draft, but his defense could be enough for him to crack a rotation next season, especially if he puts on additional strength.
The Pelicans could certainly go for someone like Aaron Nesmith here, but they are 4th in the league in scoring and 20th in defense, so it would be smart to look for a wing who can defend the position.
Green is not the sexiest pick out there, but he would potentially fill a need for the Pelicans on the wing and could eventually be a replacement defensively for Jrue Holiday if the Pelicans decide to trade the veteran guard down the road.