New Orleans Pelicans Predicted To Prioritize Wings in Next NBA Draft

The next NBA draft is far away, but the New Orleans Pelicans should already be considering what position they need to scout heavily over the next year.

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. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans roster is in solid shape right now, but still holds a couple of questions that will need to be answered once this season ends.

It was a short time ago that the Pelicans added another center to the team with their first round pick in the 2024 NBA draft. Will they continue chasing the goal of adding a dominant center, or will they focus on filling out a balanced group of players?

At least one draft expert thinks they will opt for the latter. In his latest mock draft for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie had New Orleans adding a new wing in the middle of round one. The player the Pelicans selected was Real Madrid wing Hugo Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is an 18-year-old (will be 19 at the draft) Spanish basketball star that seemingly fits the New Orleans mold of a defensive menace.

"Gonzalez is known as a tremendous defender who plays with immense tenacity and a high motor. All of that played up in those games on the wing, where he showed the ability to guard multiple positions and make high-level plays on that end," said Vecenie. "He averaged a ridiculous 2.7 steals and two blocks per game. González’s anticipation on defense is absurd, as he seems to see things a split second before they happen."

Of course, as no player getting taken in the middle of the first round is viewed as perfect, he has some work to do on the offensive side of the ball.

That could get a Pelicans fan excited, because the team has proven to get the most out of those types of defenders. It could also cause a fan anxiety that wants the team to branch out and find a more offensive-focused forward to supplement the potential loss of Brandon Ingram.

Is a wing rotation of Herb Jones, Trey Murphy and Gonzalez enough for a team with championship aspirations? It certainly has the potential to be, but there will be questions of both health and offensive consistency with any potential combination of those players.

Outside of the potential of adding another intriguing big body at center, it seems as though adding a wing is the right decision. That's especially the case if New Orleans can't reach an agreement with Brandon Ingram before he walks in free agency.

Young players like Jordan Hawkins and Yves Missi will also play huge roles in determining what the front office feels comfortable with when mapping out the future of the squad.