The Atlanta Hawks had commissioner Adam Silver call out Zaccharie Risacher's name to kick off the 2024 NBA Draft. There were fewer trades than many expected during Wednesday's first round, including a quiet night from the New Orleans Pelicans on the roster-upgrading front. More than a few social media critics will call out EVP David Griffin after the organization opted for Yves Missi instead of trading the No. 21 pick rights.
Simply put, New Orleans does not need another 20-year-old rookie lacking defensive credibility and a consistent jump shot. Missi was on some Pelicans Do Not Draft lists because the 6-foot-11 shot-swatter has only been playing organized basketball for about three years at best. It's hard to give any passing grade that encourages more of this same approach to roster building.
Pelicans pass on readiness for raw skills
Dyson Daniels and Jordan Hawkins are already falling behind the developmental curve judging by minutes played. This pick had so much potential value and now appears likely to wear a Birmingham Squadron jersey for a substantial portion of the season instead. Some nights with New Orleans will result in unsurprising DNP-CD stat lines.
It is hard to see a pathway leading to meaningful playing time for Missi in the 2024-25 season. Perhaps the Pelicans are still slow-cooking a deal to include the incoming rookie before NBA Summer League action tips off.
The Pelicans will have to forgive fans for any feelings of deja vu. Missi moving to the Crescent City has the same vibes as the Jaxson Hayes experiment. Hayes (74%) was better at free throws as a raw, late-to-the-game prospect out of Texas. Missi (61%) might be more disciplined on defense, but that will not help much. That 61% free throw mark will be unplayable to close out quarters.
Opponents will not be closing out on Missi on the perimeter either. Those free-throw numbers, which are a decent barometer for NBA shooting range, travel. Hayes was also more than 10 percentage points better in effective field goal percentages than Miss from all mid-range and three-point shooting spots.
Yves Missi's best-case scenario
The best-case scenario for any rookie is producing in meaningful minutes. No first-timer did that better last season than Dereck Lively II. Missi sees the Dallas Mavericks big man as an apt comparison for was New Orleans might get from this investment.
“What (Lively II) did in college definitely translated to the NBA,” Missi said. “And I feel like I did some of the things he was doing last year pretty well, and I hope that next I'll be able to do the same stuff on the court in the NBA.”
Asked about playing in NBA defensive schemes, a priority under Willie Green, Missi did not miss a beat. Dropping or switching, the Baylor product with a 7-foot-2 wingspan is comfortable trying to stay with any defender. It's the coach's call.
“I feel like it just depends on how the team wants to defend the pick-and-roll,” he said.
That is at least music to the Pelicans' ears.
New Orleans Pelicans 2024 NBA Draft Grade: C-
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