New Orleans Pelicans: A Forgotten Point Guard Worth Considering

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Emmanuel Mudiay #8 of the Utah Jazz reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

New Orleans Pelicans: Emmanuel Mudiay is worth the risk at backup point guard.

Emmanuel Mudiay

One reclamation project worth examining is Emmanuel Mudiay, who is currently playing backup point guard for the Utah Jazz.

He didn’t play heavy minutes, logging just 15.7 per game, so he is unlikely part of the Jazz’s long term plans.

Mudiay, who was the 7th pick in the draft in 2015, is still just 24-years-old, though this was his 5th season in the NBA.

Mudiay is a 6-foot-5 point guard who definitely has not reached his full potential. He’s never been much of a shooter, which has held him back. The Pelicans have had some success in that department, getting huge improvements out of Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram last season.

The strange thing about Mudiay is that he was very good in his rookie season, averaging 12.8 points, 5.5 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game, but he’s regressed almost every season since.

He did score 14.8 per game last season for the hapless Knicks, but then watched his minutes disappear when he joined the much-better Utah Jazz.

Usually they say players are who they are by age 25, but Mudiay isn’t there yet and still has plenty of room to grow over the next season or two.

He has the size and defense to be a quality backup point guard, and his shot is getting better, so should the New Orleans Pelicans take a chance on Mudiay?