Draft day is here! With that comes so much excitement, especially for the New Orleans Pelicans, who, after acquiring Jordan Poole yesterday, now have three picks across rounds 1 and 2 of this year's draft. The Pelicans will have selections No. 7, 23, and 40. All three of these picks could help lay a foundation for New Orleans for next season and years to come.
New Orleans has a few needs they'll be looking to address, most importantly, size. After trading away Kelly Olynyk yesterday, New Orleans has Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic under contract at center, so they'll definitely be looking to fill that hole.
Another huge issue for the Pelicans is shooting. Adding Jordan Poole helps that issue, but it doesn't solve it. New Orleans should look for shooting wherever they can get it in this draft.
Lastly, the Pelicans need experience. If the move to add Poole shows anything, Joe Dumars plans to have this team competing next season, so getting guys who are coming out of school with 2-5 years of experience is important.
The perfect pick at No. 7
As I mentioned, size is the biggest need for New Orleans, and there's no one with more size in the 7-10 range than Khaman Maluach out of Duke. He stands a giant 7'2" with a 7'6" wingspan and is a rim-protecting machine. He averaged just over 1 block a game for the Blue Devils last season and helped anchor their defense, which was one of the best in college basketball.
Outside of protecting the rim, over the course of the season, Maluach improved tremendously when switching on shifty players on the perimeter. This is a very intriguing development, as if Maluach can hold his own on the perimeter, he could become one of the league's best defenders.
On the offensive side, Maluach is a good finisher and lob threat. His shooting is the question mark, but it looks promising. He has good shooting mechanics and shot 76.6 from the free throw line. The free-throw percentage is essential in evaluating prospects' three-point shooting potential, as it can help predict how far along they are with their shooting touch.
Whether Maluach develops into an offensive monster or doesn't, he is the type of rim protector and size the Pelicans need out of this draft.
Experience at No. 23
New Orleans also needs guys who are ready to go from day one, and after selecting an 18-year-old at No. 7, they should take a 5-year college guy in Nique Clifford at No. 23. In his final season in college, he averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. What stands out the most here is his rebounding, as Clifford only stands at 6'5" and was still one of the best rebounders in college hoops last season.
He has a skill set similar to that of a former Pelican, Josh Hart, except Clifford is a much better shooter. He shot 39.7% from deep last season, and while he can't really create his own shot from the outside, he is a killer in the catch-and-shoot.
Through his five years in school, Clifford played a plethora of roles. He has spent time as the number one option, a complementary scorer, and a three-and-D wing. This makes him an extremely versatile weapon for the Pelicans if they draft him, as he can play multiple different roles and contribute from day one.
His ability to lock down on the perimeter and knock down the three would make him a steal for the Pelicans at 23 and give them a real contributor from day one.
Experience and connection with Maluach at No. 40
When bringing a big man as young as Maluach, the Pels must make things as comfortable as possible for him. That's why drafting Tyrese Proctor at 40 would be brilliant. He was Maluach's point guard at Duke and knows where he likes to get the ball and in the situations he thrives in. However, that's not the only reason he holds value for the Pelicans.
Proctor spent three years at Duke and only got better and more mature each year. He is coming off a good junior year for the Blue Devils, averaging 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. The most intriguing part of his season wasn't his averages but rather his shooting. He went from being a 32% and 35% three-point shooter to being a 40% guy last season. This jump shows the work Proctor continues to put into his game.
With Dejounte Murray being out and Jordan Poole being new to the team, they'll need all the help they can get at guard to start the 2025-26 season. Drafting a 6'6" guard who can defend, knock down the three and is a leader would round out an unreal 2025 draft for the Pelicans.