New Orleans Pelicans: How each rookie fits into the rotation
By Nick Nagel
The New Orleans Pelicans selected 3 players in the first round of this year’s NBA Draft. How will each rookie fit into the rotation for new-look NOLA?
When the New Orleans Pelicans shopped Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for a load that involved Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round draft picks, the importance of adding more talent through the draft increased.
More from Hoops Habit
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
The life of an NBA rookie can take some getting used to. Transitioning from the college game to the NBA can take some time for newcomers to find their groove.
David Griffin and the Pelicans selected three players in the first round in this year’s draft, including the No. 1 overall pick, Zion Williamson.
New Orleans also had the rights to the Lakers’ No. 4 overall pick, which they traded to Atlanta for the No. 8 and 17 overall picks. With those picks, they selected Texas forward Jaxson Hayes and Virginia Tech guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
With the addition of these three, the Pelicans have one of the best young rosters in the NBA.
For seven years, Anthony Davis led the way for the Pelicans, tallying up six All-Star appearances with three All-NBA selections. The only thing that Davis wasn’t able to do in tenure with NOLA was win.
The Pelicans only made the playoffs twice in the Anthony Davis era, making it no farther than the second round. New Orleans hopes that this new wave of talent takes them over the edge in the near future.
How do the rooks fit in with this new-look Pelicans team? Here is the scoop on these potential franchise-changing picks.