Today, with the 14th pick in the NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans selected Jordan Hawkins to close out the lottery. Here's what you need to know:
WHAT HAWKINS BRINGS
Hawkins is the best shooter in the draft and will be a key floor spacer in the NBA. He is phenomenal off the dribble or in catch and shoot situations, making him easy to plug and play in a lot of different offensive looks. His percentage from deep in the regular season left a bit to be desired, but in the NCAA tournament, Hawkins shot 21-42. It’s tough to shoot well as the main shooting threat on a great team, but this won’t be an issue in the NBA, as he won’t draw star defensive attention.
Hawkins is more than a shooter though. He’s also fierce as a driver and has risen up for his fair share of poster dunks. Although he doesn’t hang his hat on his inside game, it’s still very much there, especially when his shots aren’t falling. Hawkins’ defense is solid and much improved from his freshman year, but there’s still lots of room to get better. He tries on that end of the floor and wants to succeed, but the biggest keys will be developing his body and getting stronger so that others at the wing can’t bully him on defense.
THE FIT
Hawkins joins a young Pelicans team that already has a lot at the guard slot. On a roster now with CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Dyson Daniels, and Trey Murphy III, the Connecticut product will have a chance to play early on, but it isn’t guaranteed like it may be with other teams. With Hawkins’ place as a player ready to contribute, but not ready to take on a massive role, going to the Big Easy feels perfect. It’s easy to forget that the Pelicans were in first place before Zion Williamson went down with an injury last year, so Hawkins has a chance to contend as a role player from day one.
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