Mock Drafts Predicting The Pelicans Will Go Big In the 2024 NBA Draft

New Orleans, LA – The 2024 NBA Draft is later this month and the New Orleans Pelicans officially have the No. 21 pick after deferring their pick swap with the Los Angeles Lakers until 2025. This year’s draft isn’t considered as strong, so it makes sense the Pels declined to swap picks with Los Angeles. New Orleans heads into the offseason with a major void to fill.

Last year’s center Jonas Valanciunas is an unrestricted free agent, and the Pels are not expected to re-sign him. That leaves the team looking for a new center to start next season. There are rumors the Pelicans could fill that void via trade, with Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen’s name mentioned a few times throughout the season.

If New Orleans doesn’t fill that need via trade, the Pelicans will surely look to draft a big man in this month’s draft. Reports surfaced earlier in the week that the team is hosting former Purdue great Zach Edey for a pre-draft workout. Edey was a two-time National College Player of the Year who led the Boilermakers to a National Championship game appearance last year.

Yves Missi measured well as expected at nearly 6’11” in socks with a 7’2″ wingspan. He should start to draw mid-to-late first-round interest from teams that covet his defensive upside as a rim protector and ability to move his feet around the perimeter and recover in pick-and-rolls coverage. The offense is bonus, but Baylor ran plenty of actions for Missi around the top of the key, where he showed he can face up, put the ball down and attack opposing bigs.

A dunk contest–worthy athlete with phenomenal size and length. He’s an eager shot blocker with excellent timing, and he has good mobility and makes quick second leaps.

Good hands catching tough passes around the rim with the coordination to pivot toward the basket and finish from difficult angles.

Shoots an easy ball from 3. He hops into his shot and cleanly transitions into his high, unblockable release. His percentages need to catch up, but his touch is a positive indicator. He shoots a high percentage on hook shots, floaters, and layups.

His combination of skills gives him great pick-and-roll potential. His high school team ran plays off the opening tip in which a player would screen for him as he’d sprint toward the basket to catch a lob.

When asked what it was like to compete against Edey in the National Championship, UConn projected lottery pick Donovan Clingan gave a detailed scouting report when asked what stuck out to him about Edey.

“His size, strength, physicality, and he scores the ball,” Clingan replied. “He’s a great player. He’s tall and strong. It’s hard to move him in the post. He rebounds the ball at both ends at a high level. It was really hard to play against him. I want to go up against the best at the highest stage, so being able to go against Zach was an honor.”

While Clingan gave a positive scouting report, there are misconceptions about Edey’s game he’s trying to debunk during the pre-draft process.

“When you see someone who’s 7-foot-4, 300 pounds, you assume some things like he can’t move his feet, can’t shoot, can’t be mobile, and you assume he’s injury prone, but I think I can do a lot of the things people don’t think I can,” Edey said at the NBA Draft Combine. “I think I can move my feet and shoot the ball. People who are usually 7-foot-4 can’t make their free throws. I can do that. I can do things people don’t expect.”

Among the things Edey wants to show NBA teams is that he’s a better shooter than people realize.

“I think I need to show people I can shoot the way I believe I can,” Edey said. “I think, for the most part, teams kind of know what I’m good at. Teams have tons of film on me. Obviously, I think I’m quicker than teams think I am. I think I can shoot better than teams think I can.”

When asked where he believes his current draft range is by HoopsHype, Edey replied between 10 to 25, and if this pick holds, it could make sense for the bruising center.

A 7-footer with real talent as a floor spacer, Filipowski could work in tandem with Zion Williamson as a shooting complement and generally valuable addition in size. He did a lot of work as a playmaker at Duke as well and has the tools to be useful in numerous roles.