One of the biggest discussions surrounding the New Orleans Pelicans since their offseason began was whether the front office would look to trade back into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. We now know that Joe Dumars has tried to float Jordan Poole out into the trade universe in exchange for a first, but has gotten no bites. But what if the real trade-up comes in the second round instead of the first? If that’s the case, the obvious target for New Orleans has to be University of North Carolina center Henri Veesaar.
Veesaar is one of this year's most versatile frontcourt talents, as he’s a threat as a passer, shooter, shot-blocker, screener, and play-finisher. Despite this, his range varies across major NBA media outlets, with some sites having him in the 20s and others in the mid- to early-second round.Â
If he slips on June 23, Joe Dumars should jump on the phone lines and get cooking on a trade-up for the Tar Heels' big man.
Veesaar is a perfect fit for the Big Easy
The Estonian big fella had a strong senior season, averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting 60.8 percent from the field. From a traditional big point of view, he checks a lot of boxes, rebounds well, is efficient in the paint, and can protect the basket, as reflected in his 1.2 blocks per game. However, questions about his thinner frame and lack of athleticism worry some when evaluating Veesaar. It’s a fair concern, as unless he bulks up, he could be easily pushed around and bullied in the post at the NBA level.Â
What makes it easy for me to look past the question marks with his frame is his general size at 6-foot-11.25 (barefoot) and his knockdown three-point shooting. This past year, Veesaar shot 42.6 percent from three on 3.0 attempts per game as the pick and pop became a go-to play in UNC’s offense.Â
Adding that floor-stretching ability to a Pelicans team that shot abysmally from beyond the arc last season would be a massive boost and complement Zion Williamson rather well. His size and shooting are almost Kristaps Porzingis-esque, which is really intriguing.
Speaking of intriguing, by far the most intriguing part of Veesaar as a prospect is his passing ability. A staple in the Tar Heels' offense in 2025-26 was him hitting projected top-four pick Caleb Wilson in the short roll for lobs or easy dunks/layups. Now, convert that to the Pelicans and imagine the possibilities with athletes like Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. Pretty exciting, isn’t it?
If the Pelicans are looking for a big, there’s literally no one who could fill more needs than Henri Veesaar, and if he starts sliding on draft night, Joe Dumars should get on the phone and go get him.
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