The New Orleans Pelicans will have five picks in the 2021 NBA Draft and have a lot of options.
They are unlikely to use them all, so it’s possible they could package their first round pick to try and get a guy like Malcolm Brogdon.
They could just keep the first-round pick and take the best player available.
They also have four second-round picks, which they could use to try and move up and take another player in the late first round.
The New Orleans Pelicans are sitting on a ton of draft assets and are entering a crucial offseason, so David Griffin and company need to get it right and do a much better job of building a team around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
If they do keep the first-round pick, there are a number of really good prospects depending on where they need up choosing in the draft.
What are the Pelicans’ lottery odds?
The New Orleans Pelicans are tied for 8th with the Kings and Bulls, which will be decided by a tiebreaker.
Currently the Pelicans have a 20.3 percent chance at a top-four pick and a 4.5 percent chance at the first overall pick.
But if they stay at or near their current draft position, they will be choosing 8-10, and while there might not be a certain superstar in that range, there are still a number of really good prospects that could help the Pelicans next season.
The Pels need defenders, preferably ones who can cover multiple spots. They also need 3-point shooting and may be able to get some with one of their four picks in the second round.
Scottie Barnes is not a shooter, but he projects to be one of the more versatile defenders in this draft, a guy who often draws comparisons to Draymond Green, which is just the type of guy the Pelicans need.
New Orleans Pelicans draft picks: NBA Draft prospect Scottie Barnes
Barnes is a 6-foot-9 227 lb. combo forward from Florida State who has a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a knack for defense and playmaking.
He can defend 1-5 and be a disruptive force getting his hands on the ball for deflections and generally making things difficult on the other team.
He gets a lot of steals and knows what to do with it once he does, as he is a good finisher in transition:
Barnes is a plus playmaker and one of the better passing forwards in the draft, as he often played point guard at Florida State in his freshman season and averaged 4.1 assists per game.
His defensive versatility and playmaking are why he draws comparisons to Draymond Green but Barnes also compares to Green in his long-range shooting, which is not good.
Barnes shot just 27.5 percent from 3-point range and just 62 percent from the line, so he is not going to help the Pelicans’ shooting problems. But like Green, he could help them in a number of other areas, including helping to get his teammates easier shots.
Pelicans NBA Draft: How Scottie Barnes would fit
The Pelicans need versatile defenders who can cover both forward positions, and Barnes projects as a guy who can do that.
We all know the Pelicans had defensive problems all season, and even though Naji Marshall emerged as an option down the stretch, they still need a lot more help in that area.
Green is a disruptive defender who can guard all over the place, so he would give the Pelicans a lot of lineup flexibility on the defensive end.
On offense, his playmaking would help take some of the pressure off Ingram and Zion, as Barnes is very good in the pick-and-roll and will be even more effective as his shot improves.
The Pelicans definitely need shooters and there are some concerns about floor spacing but if the Pels can get some shooters elsewhere, Barnes’ ability to pass and get them better shots will be a plus for the offense.
There are going to be a lot of moving parts for the Pelicans this offseason and they could be a very different team by next year, which is why a guy like Barnes makes sense. He can fit into just about any lineup and brings the kind of defense and hustle the Pelicans have lacked.