Pelica Debrief
Fansided

2020 NBA Draft: Pelican Debrief Big Board 1.0

By Nick Alvarez

Who should the New Orleans Pelicans target with a top 10 pick. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Who should the New Orleans Pelicans target with a top 10 pick. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 16
Next
2020 NBA Draft
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 07: Cassius Stanley #2 of the Duke Blue Devils (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

35. NICO MANNION / GUARD / ARIZONA

Going into this college basketball season, Nico Mannion was viewed as a potential lottery pick but his game fell apart at times in Arizona. Still, there’s a lot of upsides that make Mannion worth taking a chance on in the draft because of his stellar playmaking ability. One of the best passers in the country, Mannion has shown that he be excellent setting up an offense, and the ability to change speeds gives him some excellent tools for teams to work with.

Pro Comparisons: TJ McConnell, Steve Nash without scoring ability, Derrick White minus defense

34. TRE JONES / GUARD / DUKE

Duke has had a ton of talent playing for them the past two years, and that talent was led on the floor by Tre Jones. An unselfish leader who is one of the best defenders at the guard position in the draft, Jones deserves recognition for what he could bring to an offense that already has scorers in place. If Tre Jones can improve his shooting then he could even have a starting job in the NBA.

Pro Comparisons: Marcus Smart, Corey Joesph, Lonzo Ball

33. ISAIAH JOE / GUARD-WING / ARKANSAS

When completely healthy, Isaiah Joe is one of the best pure shooters in the draft. He has a dynamic three-point shot that he can unleash from pretty much anywhere on the floor. The problem is that’s all Joe has to his game right now. He has flashed the ability to be a secondary playmaker and a threat driving to the rim but he has yet to show he can do those things at a consistent level.

Pro Comparisons: Luke Kennard, Allen Crabbe

32. KILLIAN TILLIE / BIG / GONZAGA

Someone we already covered here who is a sleeper in this year’s draft is Killian Tillie. At Gonzaga, Tillie played like a first-round talent whenever he was on the floor but thanks to an array of surgeries on his legs his held down. With a smooth offensive game that utilizes screening, passing, and shooting Tillie could become a dynamic stretch-big in the NBA if he stays healthy.

Pro Comparisons: Davis Bertans, Lauri Markkanen, Danilo Gallinari

31. CASSIUS STANLEY / WING / DUKE

The next Blue Devil on this big board is a project, but one that could pay off big time in a few years. Cassius Stanley is an athletic wing with serious bounce and speed to his game. Every time he gets on the floor, he competes and he has shown that he’s willing to defend and rebound at his position as well. If he can improve his handle, shot, and playmaking he could be a really good player in a couple of years.

Pro Comparisons: Jalen Brown, Rodney Hood, Latrell Sprewell