Detroit Pistons: 2020 NBA lottery pick mock draft 3.0
New Orleans Pelicans. Aleksej Pokuševski . 13. player. 69. . PF
We’ve officially arrived at the first major gamble of the draft as we near the end of the lottery picks. The New Orleans Pelicans have done a tremendous job accumulating talent both through the draft and via trade.
They’ve put themselves in a position where they can afford to make a gamble. Tankathon.com has him ranked as the third best power forward in the draft, and the towering seven footer only shows promise.
His combination of size and perimeter talent has drawn the most attention. As it stands, he only weighs 200 pounds so Poku isn’t currently able to bully anyone around the rim. However, he’s only 18 years old, set to turn 19 in December. There’s plenty of time for him to grow into his body.
He doesn’t play in the strongest league in Europe but he possesses enough raw talent and translatable NBA skills that he should be have a spot in the league. He’ll likely be a minus on defense for a few years until he’s able to put on some more weight.
Offensively he’s quick off the dribble, and whether it’s a defender his size or smaller, he’s fearless with the basketball. He’s able to shoot over the top of anyone and hit at a decent clip.
Poku is a high IQ player, and while he could be a liability on one end of the floor for the short term, his upside is so polarizing that New Orleans could decide to take a risk here.