#13: New Orleans Pelicans | Jalen Smith
The Pelicans need frontcourt, backup help. Should they get a player that can play the 3 and 4 positions or one that can play the 4 & 5 positions? Since the Pelicans GM does not have a good draft record, I’ll take the guy that he doesn’t.
However, with that said, he doesn’t have to pick for another 5 weeks and I have to go now. The common sense pick here is Patrick Williams who will be able to play the small forward and big forward positions. Though…he can’t guard the 3 because he has power forward feet that can’t keep up with the good wings.
So I think that is probably GM David Griffins pick, so with the 13th pick in the Mock Lottery Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans select power forward, Jalen Smith out of Maryland.
Jalen Smith is 6’10” and weighs in at 225 pounds. Jalen is an athletic rim protector who can rebound and has taken his game outside this past season. Jalen averaged 16 points and nearly 11 rebounds a game. He did this while shooting 54 percent from the field and 37 percent from deep.
Smith needs to get stronger to play center and put on a little more mass to make him harder to move at the power forward position, as well as work on his footwork and decision making. But he’s a quick jumper and can block shots and spread the floor.
Comparison: Some say PJ Washington, others say Serge Ibaka, personally I think he has a lot of former Suns great Larry Nance. Height, weight, blocking…not as good footwork as Larry, but maybe a better shot coming out of college.