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

New Orleans Pelicans Back-Up Point Guard Target #3- Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky

The wildcard selection for the New Orleans Pelicans is Kentucky’s Immanuel Quickley. When comparing Quickley to the other prospects, it’s clear that he’s still raw and less of a true point guard.

What’s interesting about Immanuel Quickley is that he has abilities that a lot of the guards projected to go in the second do not. A wingspan of 6’10” gives Quickley the abilities of a strong defender in the NBA despite his 6’3″ height.

Quickley also features a lightning-quick three-point shot that he gets to fall at an insane 43% clip. As a scorer, he’s showing that he carries an impressive bag of tricks. He’ll shoot off screens, take step-backs, or pull-up. That type of talent could boost the scoring production from the New Orleans Pelicans bench.

The main concern with Quickley is how much he can play point guard in the traditional sense. He’s good at swinging the ball and making easy reads when the defense pressures him but he’s not much of a natural playmaker. For the New Orleans Pelicans, the key to Quickley’s development is teaching him the position.

These are the three players I feel fit best with the New Orleans Pelicans roster as a back-up point guard, but there are countless more guards in this draft. Regardless of who the New Orleans Pelicans end of selecting, targeting a back-up point in this draft is a smart decision. Keep your eyes on how the Pelicans decide to use their three second rounds picks during the 2020 NBA Draft on October 16th.