New Orleans Pelicans: 2017 NBA Draft Grades
It’s hard to care about the draft when your team literally only has 1 pick, especially if it’s in the 2nd round. That was the case for the New Orleans Pelicans, when they traded this year’s 10th pick, along with Buddy Hield, for DeMarcus Cousins. That in and of itself, won the Pelicans’ the draft.
In fact, the odds the Pelicans’ ever pick outside of the Top 10, maybe even 5, are slim. That’s because in the 7 years since Dell Demps took over the team, only 1 first round pick has signed a second contract (Anthony Davis). And, only two have played at least one season with the Pelicans. Quincy Pondexter, who was technically not a Demps draft pick but more of a draft day trade, which is basically the same, was traded after his first year. While Austin Rivers (the first round pick acquired from the Clippers in the Chris Paul trade) eventually got traded to the Clippers in a 3-way trade for … Quincy Pondexter 4 years later — HAHAHA.
But the rest?
They turned into Tobias Harris (Jerryd Bayless trade), Nerlens Noel and Elfrid Payton (Jrue Holiday trade), Sam Dekker (Omer Asik trade) and Buddy Hield (DeMarcus Cousins trade).
This isn’t a surprise for Demps — he’s never liked the guaranteed salary structure of first round picks for some reason, preferring instead to acquire “young veterans”.
But that’s never stopped him from sampling undrafted rookies and taking a chance with the unguaranteed contracts of 2nd round picks.
That’s a story for another day, but that’s a great way to frame the front office’s mindset.
Which brings us back to the 2017 NBA draft. The Pelicans entered the night armed with two second round picks: their 40th pick and the 52nd pick they got from the Wizards for trading Tim Frazier. You rarely, if ever, get anything of quality from those picks.
So, to be completely honest, I had no idea:
- Who would be available and;
- Who the Pelicans would take.
But Demps, copying his strategy from last year, decided to take a project, a teenager projected as a first round pick, before circumstances pushed him back all the way to the 2nd round.
Enter Frank Jackson.
To be completely honest, I know nothing of him. I was fully expecting them to take an upperclassmen since they needed someone with a better chance of contributing now (anecdotal evidence aside) and they already took a project in Cheick Diallo last year.
It also doesn’t help that upperclassmen on my board were still available at this time: names like Wesley Iwundu, Dillon Brooks and Sindarius Thornwell.
So I spent the last 10+ hours scouring any and every video scouting I could on him, and for what it’s worth, he checks a lot of the boxes you want from a draftee looking to fit into the modern NBA game:
- Length: He’s long registering a 6'7.5" wingspan.
- Shooting and/or Stroke: The guy has a solid stroke, especially off pullups (a necessity if you’re ever to thrive in the new NBA).
- Quickness & Speed: He’s quick and explosive, which bodes well for his offensive and defensive potential.
Of course, if that was everything there was to say, he’d probably be picked higher. A lot of his weaknesses are “correctable” — he doesn’t have the ability and the willingness to pass, he can’t initiate an offense, his defensive technique is murky and his intensity wanes.
Those are all correctable issues, especially for a 19-year old. Whether the Pels give him the time, facility, and structure to correct those are up for debate. The emergence of 2-way contracts, and the Pels having their own G-League team next year bodes well for him.
Additionally, the unofficial “3rd round” of the NBA draft, i.e. signing undrafted rookies to summer league contracts, allowed the Pelicans’ to sign Peter Jok. He was probably the upperclassman I was expecting the Pelicans’ to draft. He has all the tools to be a “3-and-D” guy. However, odds are he never gets there.
Draft Grade: B-
