NBA Draft: The New Orleans Pelicans should trade up for this defender

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Xavier Tillman is the defender the New Orleans Pelicans need in the NBA Draft (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

New Orleans Pelians NBA Draft: Xavier Tillman needs a shot

Xavier Tillmans’ Weaknesses

The biggest knocks on Tillman are his age (nearly 22) and the fact that he is not a knockdown shooter.

There are question marks around his athleticism, particularly his quickness, but Tillman makes up for it with defensive positioning and quick hands.

He’s kind of a tweener who played center in college, but that is the way the NBA is trending. Big combo forwards who can defend are more valuable than shot-blocking seven-footers who might not be able to run the floor.

Tillman didn’t attempt many three-pointers which is also concerning for a guy who will play mostly on the wing. He could develop a reliable mid-range jumper over time, but Tillman cannot shoot and would be a guy teams will sag off of, which could be a problem for a team that is trying to clear space in the lane.

Tillman makes up for his lack of shooting by being a good passer, so would be a good fit in Stan Van Gundy’s offense (more on that in a minute) even though he is not a prototypical 3-and-D type player.

Tillman’ biggest weaknesses are things that can be overcome, especially if he is an elite defender, which is exactly what the New Orleans Pelians need.