Pelicans draft: A sharpshooting prospect for the 2nd round

The New Orleans Pelicans need to improve their 3-point shooting and could look to find a shooter with one of their three picks in the 2022 NBA Draft.

The Pels will have a top-10 pick from the Lakers to go along with the 41st and 52nd picks in the second round.

They have a lot of options with these picks, as the Pelicans already have a full roster, so they could trade the second rounders or take flyers on guys they know won’t contribute right away.

The Pelicans were just 27th in 3-point percentage this season so should look to add some shooters into their talent pipeline.

That’s why Gabriele Procida from Italy is a player they might consider with one of their second round picks.

Pelicans draft: Gabriele Procida’s strengths and weaknesses

Gabriele Procida is a 6-foot-7 wing from Italy who plays for Bologna in the top Italian league.

He didn’t play big minutes in his first season, but when he did get into the game, he showed what he can do well, which is shoot the 3-point shot. He has solid mechanics and NBA range and profiles as a player who will get even better as he puts on muscle.

He shot over 38 percent on 3-point shots and was getting up nearly three a game in only 15 minutes, so he is not afraid to let it fly.

Unfortunately, that’s about all he can do, as he is not an elite athlete or great off the bounce. He’s very good at running off screens for catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, and already plays that role with his team in Italy.

He’s a fairly one-dimensional player, but his skill is one the New Orleans Pelicans could use.

2022 NBA Draft: How Gabriele Procida fits with the Pelicans

On paper he doesn’t really fit what the New Orleans Pelicans are building, as he doesn’t profile as a defender, though he does have pretty good size and isn’t completely hopeless.

The Pelicans have been going after long, athletic wings like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III, but at some point, having a 3-point specialist in the pipeline is not a bad idea.

It’s hard to imagine Procida coming in and playing right away, but he’s a guy the Pelicans could develop and could eventually turn into a Duncan Robinson type shooter for the bench.

The Pelicans have players who can create and draw attention in Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, so putting a knock-down long-range shooter with them would not only create open shots but also space.

Procida is an interesting project and could be a guy the Pelicans take a flyer on late in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.

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