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NBA Draft 2019: 5 targets for the New Orleans Pelicans

By Ian Levy

ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 28: Killian Tillie #33 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts during the game against the Florida State Seminoles in the third round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Honda Center on March 28, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 28: Killian Tillie #33 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts during the game against the Florida State Seminoles in the third round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Honda Center on March 28, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FL – MARCH 21: Fletcher Magee #3 of the Wofford Terriers looks on during the First Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament against the Seton Hall Pirates at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL – MARCH 21: Fletcher Magee #3 of the Wofford Terriers looks on during the First Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament against the Seton Hall Pirates at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

3. Fletcher Magee, Guard, Wofford

Fletcher Magee is on a basketball court to do two things: chew gum and hit 3-pointers. I’m pretty sure chewing gum isn’t allowed in NCAA or NBA games, so we just get this — a career 43.5 3-point shooter on over 1,100 career attempts. Magee is one of the best shooters in their draft class, comfortable with stationary spot-ups, quickly getting his feet set as he comes off screens or simply pulling-up himself. For a team that could use shooting in almost any form, this is a reliable conduit to getting more efficiency in the Pelicans’ offense and more space in the middle of the floor.

As you would expect, the reason he’s likely to be available in the second round are questions about his athleticism, defensive potential and supplementary offensive skills. Magee was a fairly effective on-ball creator for Wofford but it’s unlikely that translates to NBA athletes. At 6-foot-4 he probably doesn’t have the height or length to reliably defend NBA 2s which means he needs to be matched up with point guards and playing next to someone who can both handle the ball and defend bigger guards and wings (Jrue Holiday?). If Magee can work his way into being an average defender, he could stick in the NBA for a long time. If not, he’s a shooter that can probably only be on the floor situationally.

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