With the draft lottery order being set on Monday afternoon as multiple tiebreakers were decided, ESPN’s DraftExpress released an updated 2021 mock draft.
The Pelicans lost their three-way tiebreaker with the Kings and Bulls to drop to the 10th spot in the lottery. With that pick, DraftExpress slotted Michigan forward Franz Wagner to the Pelicans.
With the Wolverines last season, Wagner averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He shot 47.7% from the field, 34.3% from the 3-point line and 83.5% from the charity stripe.
Here is what DraftExpress said about the selection:
New Orleans had a disappointing season defensively and hasn’t been able to surround Zion Williamson with enough shooting to adequately space the floor. Enter Wagner, one of the best off-ball defenders in the draft, who also brings promising passing and shooting indicators that suggest a very high floor as the type of two-way, role-playing combo forward every team covets.
New Orleans does, indeed, lack wings, which was exposed when the team suffered injuries late in the season. Outside of Brandon Ingram, the team does not have another true small forward with Josh Hart often eating up most of those minutes.
At 6’8″, Wagner would provide size on the wing with that alone being a huge boost to the team. Defense and shooting would be extras that would also be huge boosts for the Pelicans as well.
