NBA Draft 2016: Grades for every team

New Orleans Pelicans

Picks: No. 6 Buddy Hield, No. 33 Cheick Diallo

There’s no question that one of the biggest disappointments of last season was the performance of the New Orleans Pelicans. They were simply lackluster from the very start and that came after many people had lofty expectations for Anthony Davis and company. Instead, they were entrenched in the lottery and left with their hands in the air trying to figure out solutions moving forward.

When you think about the successes (the rare ones) of the Pelicans last season, though, they were at their best when Eric Gordon was healthy and when they were able to have him stretch the floor and knock down shots on the perimeter. Without a healthy Gordon, that’s simply an element not present in their backcourt. Or it was an element that wasn’t presence, but that’s a major reason why I love the Buddy Hield pick for them. He instantly adds that needed dimension to their offense and assumedly improves the team’s overall effectiveness.

However, I can’t give the Pelicans a top grade for the draft because I’m not a fan of what they did in the second round as they traded the Nos. 39 and 40 picks to move up to No. 33 and take Cheick Diallo out of Kansas. For one, I think Diallo is going to be abysmal in the NBA and trading anything to get him is a mistake. Moreover, though, taking a flyer on two players just slightly later seems like a much better option that taking a flyer on one player that’s a huge risk in my estimation.

Final Grade: B

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