The Pelicans could take Herb Jones’ former teammate in the NBA Draft

The New Orleans Pelicans have three picks in the 2022 NBA Draft, including two in the second round.

The Pels will have both the 41st and 52nd picks and have several options of what to do with them. They already have a full roster, so if either one of these second-rounders is on it next season, it will be a surprise, though the Pels could certainly shake some things up and clear a roster space or two.

New Orleans had the pick of the 2021 NBA Draft with Herb Jones, who is going to make the All-Rookie team and could even end up on the All-Defensive team this season.The Pelicans could choose to take a flyer one of Herb Jones’ former teammates, Keon Ellis from Alabama, who has some of the same qualities.

New Orleans Pelicans draft: Keon Ellis’ strengths and weaknesses

Like Herb Jones, Keon Ellis will enter the NBA after his senior season. He is already 22-years-old, which is one of the reasons he is projected to go in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.

Ellis is 6-foot-6, 175 lbs. wing with plus athleticism who can score from all over the court, but projects as a guy who will eventually be a 3-and-D wing and cutter, much like his former teammate Herb Jones.

Ellis is not as good a defender as Jones, but he can hold his own and is adept at using his length to get steals and disrupt passing lanes.

He averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in his senior season for Alabama, in which he started all 33 games.

He doesn’t have great handles and can be prone to turn the ball over too much (1.6 per game on fairly low usage) but he won’t be asked to handle the ball in the NBA, where he’ll be more of a swingman who shoots 3-pointers and defends on the perimeter.

Ellis hit 36 percent from 3-point range on 5.5 attempts per game, so he is already a much-better shooter than Jones. Like Jones, he has a high motor, and could be another energy/defense guy off the bench for the Pelicans.

How Keon Ellis fits on the New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans aren’t going to have a roster spot for a guy who can’t contribute, so taking a flyer on an older player makes sense.

The Pels improved drastically on defense this season, but still need to make another leap to get into the top-10 in points allowed. They have plenty of scoring with Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas, so they’ll be looking for 3-and-D type players to complement them.

Ellis has good size for a two guard/wing and would give the Pelicans another guy who can potentially defend multiple spots.

He was a late bloomer who had to spend a couple of seasons in junior college, so Ellis could have another level or two and be a guy that surprises a lot of people in the NBA.

The Pels struck gold on a rangy wing from Alabama last season and could look there again in this draft.