WDSU

The 2022 NBA Draft is Thursday night in Brooklyn and the New Orleans Pelicans have the No. 8 overall selection in the first round. If the Pels stay on the upward trajectory they're on, this may be the last time the team picks in the top 10 for quite some time. It's also worth noting that on paper New Orleans has one of the deepest rosters in the league, 14 players on guaranteed contracts for the upcoming season, so drafting a rookie and having that player crack the rotation won't be easy. I talked with WDSU Pelicans contributor Shamit Dua quite a bit about my mock draft and deals teams could make on draft night. So, if you like these trades and picks, thank him -- and if you hate them, blame me!