Lakers News: Pelicans Inform NBA of Decision Regarding LA Draft Pick Deferment

Is New Orleans going to use L.A.'s pick in 2024 or '25?

Sep 26, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans vice president of basketball operations David Griffin during a press conference at the New Orleans Pelicans Media Day from the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans have taken official steps to make a final determination on the fate of the last draft pick they acquired in their epic 2019 Anthony Davis trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that the Pelicans have informed the NBA they'll defer from using the Lakers' first round selection until 2025, meaning L.A. will be able to use its own No. 17 pick in 2024. Woj had reported on Friday that New Orleans had made this decision, but the news that New Orleans is taking further steps suggests the club has further finalized its thinking.

Though 2024 is considered to be a particularly weak draft, the 2025 class is well-regarded. The Pelicans are naturally banking on some regression for a Lakers club that counts 39-year-old LeBron James and 31-year-old Anthony Davis as its two best players, both of whom were unnaturally healthy in 2023-24.

Pelicans general manager David Griffin notched a pretty significant haul in flipping Davis to Los Angeles. The Pelicans obtained former No. 2 Lakers draft picks Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram (the latter of whom became an All-Star), swingman Josh Hart, three future first round draft picks, and pick swap rights in 2023.

The Pelicans, who had their own No. 1 pick in 2019 and used it on eventual perpetually-hurt All-Star forward Zion Williamson, later traded that No. 4 pick to the Atlanta Hawks, along with No. 57 pick Jordan Bone, veteran wing Solomon Hill, and a conditional 2023 second rounder. In return, New Orleans received No. 8 pick Jaxson Hayes, No. 17 pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker, No. 35 selection Marcos Louzada Silva, and a top-10 protected 2020 Cleveland Cavaliers first round pick.

Alexander-Walker is now a key reserve on the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Hayes was a fringe-rotation reserve center on the Lakers this past season.

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