New Orleans Pelicans: 3 players to watch heading into 2019-20

Jaxson Hayes

The Pelicans picked up Derrick Favors in a trade with the Jazz in the offseason to shore up the gaping hole in the middle left by the departure of Davis. While Favors is a solid, capable big man, he is what he is. The Pelicans also have reclamation project Jahlil Okafor at the center position, who got some consistent minutes last season when Davis was out with injury.

But the rookie Jaxson Hayes appears to be the big man that the Pelicans are really excited about. He was one of the most impressive players in the summer league, earning second-team all-summer league honors.  He averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, and 1.3 blocked shots per game in the summer league.

The standout from the University of Texas is an athletic big man who can run the floor and block shots. He’s a prototypical rim runner, who is a pretty decent mid-range shooter. He could fit in exactly with what the Pelicans want to do, run the floor and play aggressively on both ends of the floor. Hayes has all-star potential and he can help fill the defensive void left by Davis.

The big question this year is: Is he ready to contribute right away? If so, he could have a major impact. Like Williamson and Ball, he’ll be fun to watch.