Pelicans will get an early look at two possible futures

It might seem early to be thinking about the 2023 NBA Draft, especially for the New Orleans Pelicans, as they hope to make a deep run into the playoffs next season.

If they do, then their own pick will fall outside of the lottery, but that doesn’t mean they won’t still get a chance at a top pick as they did last year, when they made the playoffs and still got the 8th pick in the draft.

This is courtesy of the Anthony Davis trade, as the Pels still own a pick swap with the Lakers in 2023 and one more unprotected pick in either 2024 or 2025.

It’s possible that the Lakers will bounce back and be a playoff team next season, but fans of the New Orleans Pelicans will have two eyes on the standings, one watching how high the Pels are climbing and one hoping to see the Lakers fall.

The Lakers already got their title, but when you look at the total haul for the Davis trade, it is starting to skew towards New Orleans, especially with the two remaining picks, which look a lot better now than they did at the time of the trade.

That’s because there are two prospects coming out next season that many think are franchise changers, and the Pelicans might get a shot at adding one of them to an already loaded roster.

Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson have scouts and fans drooling, and we’ll soon get a chance to see them go head-to-head.

New Orleans Pelicans: Victor Wembanyama vs. Scoot Henderson

Wembanyama is a 7-foot-4 French prospect who plays for Metropolitans 92 in Paris. He is considered a lock to be the #1 pick next season due to his combination of handles, shooting, shot blocking and size, and many believe he’s going to be the next great player in the NBA.

But he’s not the only top prospect coming out next season. Scoot Henderson will be entering his second season in the G-League and is another favorite of scouts, even though he is more than foot shorter than Wembanyama. Henderson gets it done with blazing quickness and the ability to change speeds to finish in spectacular fashion at the rim.

The two will get a chance to showcase their skills in two upcoming exhibition events in Nevada:

To show how hyped these two prospects are, ESPN is actually airing the games so many fans will get their first look at two prospects who are going to dominate draft discussions this season.

Fans in New Orleans already had plenty of reasons to cheer against the Los Angeles Lakers next season, but an LA collapse could give the Pelicans a shot at adding one of the most hyped prospects since Zion Williamson first hit the scene.

Fans will be cheering every Lakers’ loss along with each Pelicans’ win and you’ll be able to get a preview of two possible futures in less than a month.