2023 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Mavs’ $750K fine pays off
Taylor Hendricks. 14. player. 69. . F // Central Florida . New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are right on the edge of something special. If Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram can put together a healthy campaign, simultaneously, there’s not much keeping New Orleans from home-court advantage in the playoffs. David Griffin has stockpiled more assets than any GM not named Sam Presti and the Pelicans’ roster is already littered with quality depth pieces.
And yet, here they are — in the lottery and caught in a wave of uncertainty due to Zion’s inability to put together that healthy season. It’s way too early for the Pelicans to jump ship on the current core, but it will be fascinating to see how they go about shaping the roster this summer. Are any major moves on the horizon, or will Griffin and the coaching staff simply bank on Zion eventually getting right?
Regardless of the direction NOLA takes, it’s hard to imagine Taylor Hendricks not fitting in. The 6-foot-9 freshman caught talent evaluators by surprise with his strong season at UCF. He began the year off draft boards, but it didn’t take long for Hendricks to crack the lottery conversation — or even the top 10, depending on who you ask.
An NBA-ready defender who can switch across positions and rack up deflections, Hendricks shouldn’t take long to crack the Pels’ rotation. The combined defensive activity of Hendricks and Herb Jones would be something to behold. On the offensive end, Hendricks is a prolific spot-up shooter who can space the floor for New Orleans’ star creators.