New Orleans Pelicans: Things to watch in final games.
Is Hayes the Answer at Backup Center?
We are well aware of the potential Jaxson Hayes presents for the Pelicans’ future. From his crazy dunks to his legendary blocks, Hayes has also shown improvement on the defensive side of the ball.
Another thing to look for is growth from Hayes. He’s played with energy so far in the bubble, but still makes a lot of errors. It would be good to see him play some clean games where he gets big minutes, as he needs to prove he can be the primary backup center next season.
More minutes for him in these final two games are only going to help him in the future.
Feed Jaxson! #WontBowDown pic.twitter.com/fEt5Cs179R
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 10, 2019
Is Melli Part of the Rotation?
Nicolo Melli took a bit to get used to the pace of the NBA, but once he figured it out, he definitely proved to be a bright spot in this loaded rookie class. Some of his games were just off, but more often than not, his contributions were significant.
He has struggled mightily in the bubble, something to watch in the final two games, as the Pelicans will almost certainly bring in another power forward in the offseason to compete with Melli.
Can Melli knock down enough shots to stay in the rotation? These two games probably won’t determine it, but Melli can at least go into the offseason on a high note with a couple of big games.