2021 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Chicago Bulls leap up the lottery, land their next big star
By Ian Levy
Guard. New Orleans Pelicans. Jaden Springer. 10. player. 69.
The Pelicans opted not to trade Lonzo Ball and will presumably push aggressively to re-sign him this summer, locking in the core of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Ball. The ultimate upside of that group is going to depend a lot on the cast around them and finding another guard who can pair with Ball to stop penetration, handle on-ball creation duties and space the floor is going to be essential.
Enter Jaden Springer who plays point guard but, at 6-foot-4 and 204 pounds, has the size and strength to handle a variety of backcourt matchups. He’s a hyper-aggressive on-ball defender and a powerful leader at that end, both vocally and by example. On offense, he looks like a very reliable spot-up shooter and knows how to protect the ball and make the right read. He probably doesn’t have the handle or elite athleticism to be a primary creator but with the Pelicans, he can work around Williamson and Ingram letting them handle the halfcourt creation duties as he helps break a defense that’s already been bent.
I hate the comparison because all these comps are silly and loaded but I can’t get the idea of him as Jrue Holiday out of my head.