Best NBA Draft Lottery pick: New Orleans Pelicans, Chris Paul
The 2000s were filled with superstars having to carry their teams without the help of another top-tier talent. This would usually end with such teams being first-round exits in the playoffs or completely missing out on playing postseason basketball. This is not typically the norm in the NBA today with many stars electing to pair up with other elite talents to form superteams.
But unfortunately for superstars like Chris Paul during his time with the New Orleans Hornets, which are now known as the Pelicans, he did not have the opportunity to play alongside another franchise-changing star.
Paul played in six seasons while with the Hornets. As the decade was finishing off with the likes of both Steve Nash and Jason Kidd on the backend of their primes, Paul was the one leading the way with the next generation of elite point guards in the NBA. As with other top playmaking guards, Paul was an unselfish passer when on the ball. He led the league in assists in back-to-back seasons over the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 campaigns.
Without another star on the team, Paul’s Hornets teams did not advance very far over their playoff runs. Paul was unable to lead the Hornets to even a lone appearance in the Western Conference Finals because of the vast amount of potent playoff-contending teams there were at the time out west.
Still, New Orleans garnered plenty of value from its fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
Chris Paul New Orleans Hornets stats and accomplishments
- 425 games, 18.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 9.9 assists per game
- 4X All-Star