2019 NBA Mock Draft: March Madness is NBA Draft crazy season
. C. Texas. Jaxson Hayes. 9. player. 69
Some will proclaim the Pelicans should be shooting higher than Hayes with their first top-10 pick since Buddy Hield, who was eventually traded to Sacramento. We hear that argument and understand that New Orleans could shoot for someone like Bol Bol, Sekou Doumbouya or Kevin Porter Jr. if they want to shoot for the moon. However, Hield actually serves as a good reference point and with that pick, New Orleans valued fit and intangibles as much — if not more — as the ceiling for his skill and athleticism.
All signs point to the Pelicans trying to continue to compete post-Davis, which complicates not only the pieces they target in a trade but how they retool in the aftermath. It also makes Hayes a great fit. Let’s imagine the Pelicans move forward with Jrue Holiday, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle and Jaylen Brown. That has the potential to be a pretty interesting team on both ends, and Hayes fits nicely with those four players.
We’ve seen traditional big men play their way onto the court in big moments in recent years even as the league has gotten more versatile: Tristan Thompson’s rebounding was a huge factor in the 2015 and 2016 NBA Finals. Clint Capela should have been on the court even more during last year’s West Finals. Even Andre Drummond has made a bigger impact lately by killing the glass, finishing in transition and passing well.
Hayes has a lower ceiling than some in this draft but has All-Star upside and will make some team very happy. Don’t count New Orleans out despite the Davis black cloud looming.