New Orleans Pelicans
Holy cigarettes did Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin web a lot of value for dropping back to No. 8. In the majority of years, trading from the top five of this draft would be an incredibly risky move because draft worth tends to fall off a cliff in the No. 6 pick. But this is not most years; we’ve been hearing for weeks that the 2019 draft supposed to be unusually shallow after Williamson, RJ Barrett and Ja Morant. Griffin clearly felt that he could slide back four slots from No. 4 and still receive the player he desired, center Jaxson Hayes.
Using ESPN’s Kevin Pelton nifty draft pick platform system to help put transactions like these in perspective, the Pelicans received 3,560 points in draft select worth (1,970 for No. 8; 1,220 for No. 17; 370 to get No. 35) in comparison to 2,450 points heading to Atlanta (2,440 to get No. 4; 10 to get No. 57). That is a humongous gap in value. On top of this, the Pelicans shed Solomon Hill’s $13 million deal. In addition to this, the Pelicans obtained Cleveland’s 2020 first-round pick, which will probably become a set of second-rounders.
This was a heist by Griffin, who continues to run a practice in his opening salvo. I’m not in love with 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 most rosters. But the Pelicans need shooters about Williamson to amplify his athleticism and Hayes has not shown any range outside the paint.
The good news is that Hayes has a really good stroke in the free throw line (74 percent last year at Texas), therefore he can maybe stretch out and develop a jumper. With that said, Lonzo Ball could shatter the lob listing with Williamson and Hayes running in the rim. Sheesh.
By making the trade with Atlanta, the Pelicans have dug out roughly $30 million in cap space, which they can use to buy more selections down online or earn certain shooting talent to free up more space for the children. Don’t be shocked if Griffin earns Jared Dudley, who spent four and a half seasons with Griffin at Phoenix, to help coach up the locker room and bring in a 3-and-D existence around the wing.
Oh, and by the way, they drafted the very best prospect since LeBron James.
Read more: sporttobet.com
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