Something isn’t adding up. HoopsHype’s Mike Scotto reported recently that the New Orleans Pelicans are trying to acquire a top 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but so far, they have not worked out any first-round prospects. If the Pelicans are serious about acquiring a first-round pick, they should be doing their due diligence by working out some of the draft's better players.
There was also a rumor from Jake Fischer of The Stein Line that the Pelicans were interested in Tennessee forward Nate Ament, who is a potential top 10 pick. Personally, I’m not a big fan of Ament, but if Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver are, why not bring him in for a private workout to get a closer look?
The Pelicans are working out second-round players ahead of the draft
According to HoopsHype, the Pelicans have brought in 15 prospects for private workouts. The highest-ranked of them is Duke’s Maliq Brown at 51. Twelve of the 15 players are unranked.
Clearly, all these players the Pelicans have brought in are being looked at for their second-round pick (58th overall). This is what I would expect from an NBA front office. They are doing their due diligence. So why not bring in any first-round prospects in case they do make a trade for a first-round pick?
There is also the possibility that these rumors just aren’t accurate, and the Pelicans don’t want to trade into the first round of the June 23rd NBA Draft.
However, the rumor that Dumars and Weaver want to get back into the first round of such a strong draft makes sense. If they successfully do this, they can add a third player alongside Fears and Queen to rebuild around.
Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver had a very successful draft last year, making two great picks by selecting Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. However, the infamous trade they made with the Atlanta Hawks, sending their 2026 first-round pick away in return for Derik Queen, was questionable at best.
The 2026 NBA Draft is only a few days away, so we will get answers to these questions very soon. Whether the Pelicans make a trade to get back into the first round or not, we will likely get a better idea of which direction Dumars and Weaver intend to take the team.
One thing is for sure. If the Pelicans do trade back into the draft, they are making a big mistake by not bringing any first-round prospects in for private workouts.
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