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How close are the New Orleans Pelicans to returning to the playoffs following the conclusion of the 2023 NBA Draft?
The Pelicans welcomed one rookie to their roster during the 2023 NBA Draft. As they entered Thursday's draft, they had to address their need for a high-quality backup at the one or the two. Guards C.J. McCollum, Garrett Temple, Dyson Daniels, Kira Lewis Jr. and Jose Alvarado will all be under contract for New Orleans next season, according to sports contract and salaries website Spotrac. Alvarado and Temple will be on non-guaranteed contracts.
The Pelicans had plenty of talented options to choose from when they were on the clock at No. 14. The NBA's consensus mock draft had them taking Indiana guard Jalen Hood-Schifino or UConn guard Jordan Hawkins. Hood-Schifino, who was selected with the No. 17 pick by the Los Angeles Lakers, was taken by the Pelicans in the most recent mock draft by ClutchPoints.
What was the best move the Pelicans made on draft night?
Drafting Jordan Hawkins
The Pelicans selected Hawkins with the No. 14 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Hawkins, a former four-star recruit from Gaithersburg, Md., initially committed to UConn over offers from Clemson, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Xavier and Seton Hall, among others, according to 247Sports. He joined a Huskies recruiting class that took seventh place in the country and featured three other four-star enrollees.
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Hawkins averaged 16.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game during his second year with UConn. He took second place on the Huskies in points per contest behind now-Chicago Bulls center Adama Sanogo. Sanogo, a three-year veteran with UConn, signed a two-way deal with Chicago following the end of Thursday's draft.
Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin highlighted why the 6-foot-5-inch guard was the right selection in a post-draft press conference.
“He definitely understands who he is,” Griffin said, via Pelicans.com. “He takes pride in what gets him on the court and understands what his game really is. The winning nature of his background and the way he approaches the game really fits well with us. Overall, a really good night for us.”
Hawkins impressed the Pelicans front office with his on and off-court strengths, according to a Friday article from New Orleans Pelicans writer Jim Eichenhofer.
“He's won at a high level and knows what it takes,” Pelicans General Manager Trajan Langdon said, via Pelicans.com. “Coming in here, whatever (coaches) ask of him, he's going to be ready to do. And his maturity – he's a pro already in terms of mindset and approach, so that's not going to take him long to figure out. The speed of the game, the physicality, the verbiage, there's always a transition period (for NBA rookies), but he's going to pick it up quick.”
Hawkins can be a fantastic selection for the Pelicans' future if he can prove he can be a reliable fit for the team's offense behind McCollum.
Hawkins's ability to shoot at a high level can make him a solid fit at the two for New Orleans early on. He improved from a 33.3% average from beyond the arc during his first season with the Huskies to a comfortable 39.1% average last season. The Pelicans took 14th place in the NBA with a 36.4% average from the 3-point line during the regular season, taking spots ahead of the Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.
