The New Orleans Pelicans surprised everyone by making the playoffs and giving the Phoenix Suns a tough fight. But can they do it again? What they do in the 2022 NBA Draft will be a big factor in that question.

Although the Pelicans don't have their own first-round pick, they have the eighth overall pick from the Los Angeles Lakers. They also have picks 41 and 52 at their disposal. They have plenty of draft picks to make trades, add key players to their roster or both. Their run to the playoffs definitely inspires confidence but also overshadows the fact that they were merely playing .500 ball after the CJ McCollum trade. That would most likely leave them in play-in territory rather than a certified postseason berth.

In addition to Zion Williamson returning, the Pelicans have three chances to find more studs in the NBA Draft. Although they may not add three rookies who can play right away for the second draft in a row, they can still

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Pelicans' 3 biggest needs entering 2022 NBA Draft

3. A strong iso scorer

The Pelicans didn't have much offense until they traded for McCollum midway through last season. They were one of the very best offenses once they did and will be getting Williamson, a 27-points-per-game scorer last season, back from the IR. Still, it would help them a lot to find a stronger scoring presence off the bench.

New Orleans doesn't have a true floor general but will play a trio of solid playmakers in McCollum, Brandon Ingram and Williamson next season. Although head coach Willie Green can stagger their minutes, it would be very beneficial to find someone else who they can get the ball to or can do the same for the reserves.

Simply put, the Pelicans have to find more players who can command defensive attention and penetrate the perimeter so that they can open up space on offense. Kira Lewis Jr. hasn't yet proven he can on a consistent basis and Devonte' Graham played less as the season went on. New Orleans shouldn't be afraid to find their potential replacement in the NBA Draft.

2. More perimeter/wing defenders

Herb Jones proved as a rookie that he is good enough to be a defensive cornerstone. Jose Alvarado annoyed any ball-handler that moved in his direction at the point of attack. New Orleans should add more defensive firepower, particularly on the wing.

Defensively, the Pelicans have some promising frontcourt options with the uber-strong Jonas Valanciunas and nimble, long-armed Jaxson Hayes. Williamson will be the primary frontcourt player next season, so the Pelicans should find defenders who can make up for his shortcomings.

With their second-round picks, they could look to land (or trade up for) players like Christian Braun, Dalen Terry, Wendell Moore or MarJon Beauchamp. If they want to pick one in the first round, they could pick Jeremy Sochan, Dyson Daniels or Tari Eason. The Pelicans could find another young wing that can clamp up along with Jones and Trey Murphy III.

1. 3-point shooting

More than anything, the Pelicans should pursue a high-level shooter. Their shooting abilities last season relied heavily on McCollum, culminating in a 27th-place ranking in 3-point percentage in the league. They should find shooters to surround McCollum, Ingram and Williamson.

If they want to prioritize 3-point shooting, the two names for them that make the most sense are Duke's  AJ Griffin and Arizona's Bennedict Mathurin. Both of them are 6-foot-6 wings that love to let the ball fly from deep. Griffin was more efficient last season (though he played in a more complementary role) while Mathurin could offer more diverse scoring abilities.

New Orleans could also look later in the draft for shooters. Putting more floor-spacers in the offense is already key but will especially be so with Williamson.