New Orleans Pelicans Rookie In Position to Massively Surprise People Next Season

A New Orleans Pelicans rookie is in line to have a role during the 2024-25 season and surprise some people with his production.

Mar 21, 2024; Memphis, TN, USA; Baylor Bears center Yves Missi (21) dunks during practice for the NCAA Tournament First Round at FedExForum. / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

There has been a lot of discussion this offseason about what the New Orleans Pelicans will do with their frontcourt. Their enter depth chart from the 2023-24 at the center spot has moved on this offseason.

Starting center Jonas Valanciunas landed with the Washington Wizards via sign-and-trade. Larry Nance Jr. and Cody Zeller were both traded to the Atlanta Hawks as part of the package to acquire Dejounte Murray.

In free agency, the Pelicans signed veteran Daniel Theis to help fill the void. They also claimed Trey Jemison off of waivers from the Memphis Grizzlies. 2022 second-round pick Karlo Matkovic is also coming over to the NBA this season.

In the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, No. 21 overall, New Orleans selected Yves Missi out of Baylor. Missi could be an x-factor for the team as a rookie, as he is looking at a significant role in Willie Green’s rotation.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report believes that Missi is one of the most overlooked rookies heading into the 2024-25 season. The Baylor product is going to have a chance to surprise a lot of people in his first season as a pro.

While his game is raw, Missi’s strengths line up with what the Pelicans need from the center position. As Wasserman noted, a starting spot could be up for grabs as well.

“He could even wind up starting based on the team's depth chart and the likelihood that Missi has the tools, athleticism and foot speed to instantly provide effective finishing and defensive mobility in a simplified role,” Wasserman wrote.

New Orleans has been a stellar defensive team under Green, but this roster is lacking rim protection. That could be one of the reasons Missi gets minutes right away, as he has the athleticism and instincts to make a difference at the rim defensively immediately.

He may not be as prolific of a shot blocker as some of the other centers in this year’s draft class, such as Donovan Clingan and Zach Edey, but he is much more mobile. During the NBA 2K25 Summer League 2024 in Las Vegas, Missi recorded 1.8 blocks per game.

The tools are there for Missi to be productive as a rookie despite being considered a raw prospect. Given how many ball-dominant players are in the lineup, Green can construct an easy-to-follow game plan with an emphasis on his strengths. That will afford him the chance to develop while building up his experience as a pro.