The Pelicans could swing for big upside with their 2022 NBA Draft pick

The New Orleans Pelicans are in the playoffs but are still almost guaranteed to have a lottery pick thanks to the trade of Anthony Davis to the Lakers.

The Pels have a 73.3 percent chance of that pick being in the 8-10 range, with pick eight having the highest odds at 34.5 percent.

New Orleans does have a 26.2 percent chance to jump into the top-4, which would be the dream draft scenario for a team that is already in the playoffs and has a nice mixture of young and veteran talent.

If the Pelicans did end up with the 8th pick, there are a number of guys they could choose who could probably come in and contribute right away, guys like Tari Eason and Johnny Davis who played two seasons in college and already have playable NBA skills.

But the Pelicans are in the enviable position of already having a pretty good team locked up for next season that will be getting Zion Williamson back.

They don’t need much from their 2022 NBA Draft pick, so could swing for the fences on upside and let the player take a few years to develop.

New Orleans Pelicans: The big mystery of the 2022 NBA Draft

18-year-old guard Shaedon Sharpe is one of the big mysteries of the 2022 NBA Draft. He was rated as the nation’s top high school player coming into this season, but didn’t play and instead joined Kentucky early.

Sharpe practiced with Kentucky but didn’t play, so there is limited footage of him, and he also hasn’t declared yet, so there is a chance he will return and play one season with the Wildcats before entering the NBA.

Scouts haven’t gotten to see much of Sharpe but the small amount of film is impressive. He is 6-foot-6 with a lightning quick first step. He has a sophisticated offensive repertoire for someone his age and he looks like a 3-level scorer with plus athleticism that could translate into solid defense.

But even if he does come out, Sharpe will have little experience and will need time to adjust to the NBA, so he could be a longer-term project that doesn’t pay dividends right away. But if Sharpe reaches his potential, he has the chance to be the best player in this draft.

There is no guarantee he’d even be there if the Pelicans had the 8th pick, as some other team might take a swing on the unknown potential over guys who are more proven but have lower ceilings.

It’s a nice position to be in, as the Pelicans can take a risk on an unknown without jeopardizing their promising future.