THE 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place later this month, with the next crop of potential superstars set to join the world’s most prestigious basketball league.

With plenty of hype around the talent in the 2023 draft class, thanks to a French phenom locked in as the number-one pick and lots of depth later down the order, June 23 (AEST) will change the future of the league in a big way.

Rookie Me Central will be continuing the NBA Draft Team Preview series, taking a look at each participating side’s draft hand and some potential options at each selection. The next side on the agenda are the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans have been unable to string together a damaging season over the past few years, and fell short of the postseason once again, largely due to the unavailability of former number-one pick Zion Williamson, who has missed a significant amount of time through injury.

The Pelicans now have the opportunity to add to the team’s young core with the final pick in the draft lottery, and although it is their sole selection, the team should have plenty of viable options around that mark.

New Orleans Pelicans

Draft selections

14

Contracted players

CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Zion Williamson, Larry Nance Jr., Jaxson Hayes (qualifying offer), Dyson Daniels, Garrett Temple (team option), Kira Lewis, Trey Murphy, Willy Hernangomez (team option), Herb Jones (team option), Naji Marshall (team option), Jose Alverado (team option), Dereon Seabron (two-way contract), EJ Liddell (two-way option)

The Pelicans still have most of their core side under contract next year, so the draft provides a chance to surround their key figures with talented young complimentary pieces for the time being.

Although solid defensively, the team’s bench offence lacked a bit of firepower at times last season, and a player that could immediately address this need is Keyonte George. One of the best shooters in the draft class, George could slot into the team’s bench backcourt nicely, and can not only find the bottom of the net himself, but get his teammates involved with solid facilitation a key part of his game too. Although his efficiency was not great at times, his upside makes him worth a punt at 19 years of age.

Another tempting option could be Jett Howard, who is likely the best available all-around player if still on the board at 14. At six-foot-eight, Howard can play anywhere from shooting guard to power forward and is one of the most versatile scorers in the class. He averaged 14.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in his freshman NCAAM season, and would be an immediate contributor on any team he joins.

The Pelicans may still look to move this pick given how well-built their roster is as it stands and their win-now mindset. However, there are still several viable options set to be available at pick 14 that could certainly contribute in one way or another in the immediate future, so it may be smarter to add some youth to their list.