The New Orleans Pelicans Pick Texas’ Hayes With #8 Pick

Earlier tonight, the New Orleans Pelicans took mega-prospect Zion Williamson out of Duke with the number one overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. That was the easy part. This next part is where it gets a little crazy.

So the Pelicans gained the number four overall pick as a part of the package they brought in when they sent Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. But the closer we got to the draft, the more we all realized they didn't plan to actually use it. They were shopping the pick around, and landed on a deal with the Atlanta Hawks that brought back a solid haul, with the big part of the deal being the number eight overall pick.

So as that all settled, the team they used to pick (though Atlanta actually had to make the pick) to take Texas center Jaxson Hayes.

ESPN describes Hayes as:

"Excellent physical profile at 7-foot with a 7-3 wingspan and a huge standing reach. Big hands. Terrific frame that will continue to fill out. Fluid athlete who is highly coordinated and quick off his feet finishing lobs or protecting the rim. Beats opposing big men down the court regularly. Lauded for his off-court intangibles and should continue to make significant strides physically and skill-wise as he gains experience."

Hayes will join Williamson to create one of the most dynamic young front courts in the entire NBA.