New Orleans Pelicans
Holy smokes did Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin web a lot of value for falling back to No. 8. In the majority of years, trading out of the top five of the draft could be a remarkably risky move since draft worth tends to fall off a cliff in the No. 6 selection. However, this is not most years; we’ve been hearing for weeks that the 2019 draft supposed to become unusually shallow after Williamson, RJ Barrett and Ja Morant. Griffin obviously felt that he could slide back four slots from No. 4 and still receive the player he wanted, centre Jaxson Hayes.
Using ESPN’s Kevin Pelton nifty draft pick platform system to help set transactions such as these in perspective, the Pelicans received 3,560 points in draft pick worth (1,970 for No. 8; 1,220 for No. 17; 370 for No. 35) compared to 2,450 points heading to Atlanta (2,440 to get No. 4; 10 to get No. 57). That’s a humongous difference in value. In addition to that, the Pelicans drop Solomon Hill’s $13 million deal. On top of this, the Pelicans obtained Cleveland’s 2020 first-round choice, which will likely turn into a pair of second-rounders.
This was a heist by Griffin, who continues to conduct a practice in his opening salvo. I am not in love with all the Hayes choice at No. 8. He’s a large pick-and-roll dunker from the Tyson Chandler mould, which is a fantastic fit on many rosters. However, the Pelicans want shooters about Williamson to amplify his athleticism and Hayes hasn’t shown any variety away from the paint.
The good thing is that Hayes has a really good stroke in the free throw line (74 percent last season at Texas), so he can maybe stretch out and develop a jumper. That said, Lonzo Ball may shatter the lob record with Williamson and Hayes running at the rim. Sheesh.
By making the transaction with Atlanta, the Pelicans have carved out about $30 million in cap space, which they can use to buy more picks down online or bring in certain shooting talent to free up more space for the kids. Don’t be surprised if Griffin brings in Jared Dudley, who spent four and a half seasons with Griffin in Phoenix, to help coach up the locker area and bring into a 3-and-D presence on the wing.
Oh, and by the way, they drafted the best potential since LeBron James.
Read more here: http://hariq.co.jp/bg/service/2019/09/26/los-angeles-dodgers-at-arizona-dbacks-mlb-pick-august-30th/