The New Orleans Pelicans officially began their rebuild by selecting Zion Williamson and Jaxson Hayes in the 2019 NBA Draft
With the departure of Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers last week, it was crucial for the New Orleans Pelicans to draft quality talent that could contribute immediately to the organization that could play alongside the newly acquired Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart.
By no surprise, they selected Zion Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick, one of the most exciting players to come out of college in years and possibly one of the most complete prospects ever. Then seven picks later, they picked Texas big man Jaxson Hayes, who profiles to be a solid defender and a monster around the rim.
Obviously, it’s going to be very hard to replace a player like Anthony Davis immediately, but with these two picks alone, the Pelicans have two elite defenders and one top-notch scorer in Zion Williamson.
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Let’s take a look at what these two players can bring to New Orleans.
Zion and Hayes
Williamson alone will be a franchise-changing player with his incredible athleticism and strength around the hoop. His ability to soar above defenders and throw down vicious dunks against any opponent will definitely translate right over to the NBA.
Zion averaged 22.6 points in his lone season at Duke, along with 8.9 rebounds and an impressive 2.1 steals per contest. His mid-range game is particularly impressive, where he shot 68 percent from the field for the Blue Devils. For his size (6’7, 285 lbs), it’s remarkable how quick and explosive he is in all directions. Zion is giving New Orleans fans immediate hope that he can make this team a contender in the coming years with this youth movement they are heading into.
It’s hard to find a more complete player than Zion Williamson. Every aspect of his game is top-notch. He plays outstanding defense, has great playmaking abilities, and can get past anyone and finish at the rim. The only part of his game that could use some polishing would be his 3-point shooting, as he took just 0.7 attempts from downtown at Duke. But when you’re an absolute specimen who can find his way to the rim more often than not or pull up inside the perimeter and drain a two-pointer, shooting from long-range becomes less of a priority.
Hayes is an interesting prospect who should see a healthy amount of minutes at center for the Pelicans in his rookie season. He averaged 10 points a game at Texas, along with five rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. His 7-foot-3 wingspan is a huge reason he’s such a great defender around the rim, along with being 6-foot-11 to boot. For his size, Hayes is very athletic and gets up the court very well in transition. He also shot a spectacular 72 percent from the field in his lone college season, while also shooting 74 percent from the free-throw line.
For a big, that’s a pretty solid percentage from the charity stripe and will be a part of his game that he will look to maintain. Hayes is also very efficient off the pick and roll, an important skill set for a big in this day and age. Just like Zion, he’s a monster around the hoop. Because of his size, he converts a lot of his points at the rim with high-percentage looks.
Although he isn’t 285 pounds like Williamson, he has a very lean, strong build with great explosiveness. He is the complete center who has the whole package of size, athleticism, scoring ability, and defensive efficiency.
Rebuild is in full gear
Adding two complete players like Zion and Hayes to a young team, along with several other picks from Thursday’s draft, the future does look bright for Alvin Gentry’s team. These two are going to play off each other very well for the Pelicans. Between the two, they could be one of the best shot-blocking duos in the NBA this season.
The playoffs might not happen right away for New Orleans, but things are heading in the right direction. Zion Williamson and Jaxson Hayes will be the start of something special in the future for The Pelicans.