New Orleans Pelicans 2020 NBA Draft: 3 Back-up Point Guard Options

New Orleans Pelicans Back-Up Point Guard Target #1- Cassius Winston, Michigan State

My top back-up point guard target for the New Orleans Pelicans in this year’s draft is Cassius Winston. There’s just so much to love in his game, and he’s a proven winner.

Standing at only 6’1″ what he lacks in height he makes up for with grit and determination. During his time at Michigan State, he was viewed as a leader and someone head coach Tom Izzo trusted to be an extension of the coaching staff on the court.

With those intangible qualities, comes the traits that the New Orleans Pelicans are lusting to add to their team. Winston plays a physical game, he’s willing to make his way through traffic to either score or pass, and he’s a hard-nosed player on defense.

On top of that, he’s a steady player. When it comes to shooting it from beyond the arc, Winston is a 43% shooter for his four years in college. Ask him to make plays and you’ll see steadiness there too as Cassius Winston displays a terrific feel for the pick-and-roll and avoids turnovers.

He is an older prospect at 22 years old who played four years at Michigan State, and there are concerns about his height and durability in the NBA but the toughness he can give the New Orleans Pelicans with a smooth game to match is too much to pass on in the second round.