Top 10 Pelicans Centric Prospects for the 2023 NBA Draft
This became a popular 2022 thread, so why not have it here to pull up every once in a while during the 2023 season, since we know the Pelicans will have another top 10 pick :)
This is my list as of right now:
1. Victor Wembanyama - Not to be too hyperbolic, but if this somehow happens, I think it would be a major disappointment if the Pels didnt win 5 titles or more between 2025-2032. I mean, this would be like when the Spurs added Duncan, but if instead of having Sean Elliot, they had T-Mac and instead of Vinny Del Negro, they had Tim Hardaway. Would just not be fair.
2. Scoot Henderson - How would you like to add Ja Morant with better passing to the team?
3. Amen Thompson - This is where you can start to debate guys. I will take Amen here, mostly because his passing tells me he has a high IQ to go with insane athleticism
4. Nick Smith - Imagine adding Anthony Edwards to the current core
5. Anthony Black - A little higher than you will see him on most boards, but I love the size and the passing. Imagine Daniels but he comes into the league with the 3 ball
6. Keyonte George - What the Pels really liked in Ben Mathurin, but with a frame that will make him a bigger version, with even more explosiveness
7. Cam Whitmore - Another guy who would give the Pels another two-way wing and will come into the league with an NBA body
8. Ausur Thompson - the lesser Thompson brother IMO, but continues the multi positional theme and reminds me a lot of Trey, actually
9. Arthur Kaluma - Have him higher on my board than most, and I think thats because most teams in the lotto are looking for franchise players. Kaluma wont be that, but could be the 2023 Scottie Barnes
10. Dereck Lively - A lot of good perimeter guys in this draft, but I wouldnt hate coming out of it with the center of the future, and Lively would be that for me. I could see Myles Turner but with much more switchability and perimeter defense. Or, a 85% version of Evan Mobley - whichever idea you prefer to think of
Will be interesting to see how this looks 8 months from now. My overall thoughts on the 2023 draft is that 1-10 will be better than 2022, but I think it falls off a little faster too