New Orleans Pelicans: 5 best fits in the 2022 NBA Draft
New Orleans Pelicans draft: 5 best fits in the 2022 NBA Draft
The Pelicans don’t have a glaring positional need, but if you had to identify the area of weakness, it would be their guards, as they don’t have much size or scoring behind CJ McCollum. Here are two guys who could change that.
Dyson Daniels
The top G-League prospect has been rocketing up draft boards after he had a strong showing at the NBA Combine. He put to rest some fears scouts had about his shot, as Daniels was stroking it.
But what is really exciting about Daniels is his potential on defense. He is 6-foot-7 with great length and gets after it on the defensive end, where he is disruptive in passing lanes. He’d be a great complement to Herb Jones on the perimeter, as the two of them would be able to switch on anyone, which would give the Pelicans endless lineup possibilities.
He’d also give the Pelicans some size off the bench, where they have a trio of small guards currently. He’s another guy who would be amazing defensively with Jose Alvarado.
Johnny Davis
You might see a theme here, as Davis is another guy who has size at 6-foot-5 and likes to defend. Willie Green has made it clear that he is building his identity around defense, and Davis is very good at using his size and strength to keep his man in front of him.
He’s also a guy who can get buckets and he’d be a perfect back up for CJ McCollum, who is a similar type of player and could provide some mentorship. Davis needs to improve as a 3-point shooter to be anywhere near McCollum as a scorer, but he is already a guy who can create his own shot, rebound the position well and defend, so he’d be a nice fit on the New Orleans Pelicans.