New Orleans Pelicans: One positive/negative for the bench bigs.
The Bench Bigs
Jaxson Hayes
Positive: Jaxson Hayes had some highlight reel dunks and blocks this season that showcased his immense athleticism. He was a force at the rim at times, ran the floor well and had a productive rookie season even though his minutes were sporadic. His Per-36 numbers were 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks, which is respectable for a guy still learning how to play.
Negative: Hayes still has a lot of work to do and didn’t prove that he could handle the minutes as the primary backup center. Hayes’ defense at the rim can be imposing, but he can’t guard the pick-and-roll, close out on a shot or body anyone in the paint. He often got trucked by smaller players on drives, which shows he needs to put on a lot of strength in the offseason. It would have been nice for Hayes to play well enough in the bubble for the New Orleans Pelicans to feel comfortable going into next season with him as the primary backup, but I don’t think we’re there yet.
Nicolo Melli
Positive: When Nicolo Melli was rolling, he was a big part of the success of the Pelicans’ offense. His ability to spread the floor as a power forward can be invaluable, as the Pelicans have a lot of guys who draw double teams and Melli was the guy who was usually left open. This culminated in a huge performance against the Golden State Warriors in late February in which Melli hit six of seven from downtown.
Negative: The problem was Melli didn’t make many shots after that. Post-Warriors in February, Melli shot less than 15 percent from 3-point range and was especially horrendous in the bubble. Melli went from “valuable member of the roster moving forward” to “could we trade him for someone who can defend or rebound?” Melli missed so many wide open shots down the stretch that the Pelicans have to be concerned it’s more than a blip. A stretch-four who can’t make shots is just a guy taking up space and Melli is going to have to prove he’s more than that if he wants to stay in this rotation long-term.