New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Players To Draft With The No. 6 Pick

The New Orleans Pelicans remained at No. 6 in this year’s NBA Draft. Take a look at three prospects that will be atop of their list on draft night.

Mar 7, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) celebrates with guard Toney Douglas during the fourth quarter of a game against the Sacramento Kings at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Kings 115-112. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a little more than a month since the NBA regular season concluded and the teams that are sitting at home while the remaining four battle it out in the conference finals can categorize their 2015-16 outing as a success or disappointment.

Three teams in particular had extremely disappointing seasons: the Houston Rockets, the Washington Wizards and the New Orleans Pelicans. The latter two teams were absent from this year’s playoffs after being expected to take big steps in their respective conferences.

Coming off a 45-37 record and a playoff appearance that included getting swept by the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in 2014-15, Anthony Davis was expected to have an MVP-like season under new head coach Alvin Gentry, who hoped to bring a championship mindset from his time with the Warriors.

Instead, there were transition pains for Gentry adjusting to one of the most injury-plagued rosters in the league.

Davis only played in 61 games after dealing with a plethora of nagging injuries, but on March 20, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a left knee injury and a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

On some nights, Gentry was left with a rotation that would have trouble winning in the NBA D-League, let alone against the rigorous Western Conference. Their record reflected this; the Pelicans finished just 30-52.

Heading into the offseason, the Pelicans’ roster has seven players under guaranteed contracts (not including Luke Babbitt and Toney Douglas, who have team options, and Alonzo Gee, who has a player option).

There are plenty of positions that need to be upgraded if the Pelicans want to make a return to the playoffs next season. The first way to do so is through the draft with their No. 6 pick.

Here are three players that should be atop the Pelicans draft board.

Next: The No. 1 Option