New Orleans feeling confident after 2021-2022 NBA season turnaround; looks to Draft

There were serious doubts about the stability of the New Orleans Pelicans going into the 2021-2022 NBA Season. Those doubts grew as the Pelicans started the season 1-12 with their star player out with a foot injury. While the entire NBA and many basketball experts doubted the Pelicans would come back to finish with a successful season. The Pelicans finished with a vengeance by winning both of their play-in games against the San Antonio Spurs and at the Los Angeles Clippers.

They even gave the Phoenix Suns a tough six games series fight in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The Pelicans finished the season with an overall record of 36-46 after a series of comebacks and huge trades, including guards C.J. McCollum and Tony Snell. McCollum became a huge star in his 26 games for New Orleans as he averaged 24.3 points per game, 5.8 assists per game, and 1.3 steals per game.

Small forward Brandon Ingram is a player that keeps getting better for New Orleans as he finished averaging more than 22 points per game for the third straight season. Center Jonas Valanciunas was a key player for the Pelicans on both ends of the court. He averaged 17.8 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game. Right before the first game of the 2021-2022 NBA season, Valanciunas signed a two-year contract extension with the Pelicans. He was originally set to be a free agent this off-season. Zion Williamson has also stated he wants to be with the Pelicans for the long run after rumors that he wanted to be traded.

This Pelicans team has the potential to be a serious playoff contender in a loaded Western Conference next season. McCollum, Ingram, Valanciunas, and Williamson will be crucial leaders of a potentially dangerous Pelicans team moving forward.

To make matters better for New Orleans, they have been given the eighth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft from the Draft Lottery. That pick was originally owned by the Los Angeles Lakers but was a part of the huge trade package for Anthony Davis to be shipped out to Los Angeles before the 2019-2020 NBA Season.

The Pelicans have plenty of options for elite college basketball prospects to choose from with the eighth overall pick. They need help at the guard position, specifically the point guard, and some depth at center. Notre Dame shooting guard Blake Wesley, Duke shooting guard A.J. Griffin, and Kentucky point guard TyTy Washington are players guard who are likely to be available when it is New Orleans' turn to make a pick.

The Pelicans could be motivated to go for a point guard as McCollum is playing at the position. They could, however, give McCollum the freedom to control the offense at the point guard position, which is something he couldn't do in his nine years with the Portland Trail Blazers. New Orleans might be in play for an elite shooting guard to give pressure off Ingram at the wing or McCollum at the top of the post.

They might also trade the eighth overall pick to a team with a proven playmaker if they don't see a player they are too keen on. The Pelicans will be hungry for the playoffs once again this upcoming 2022-2023 NBA Season, but they must be patient. Their next biggest test is on June 23rd, when the 2022 NBA Draft starts.

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