Pelicans' NBA Draft Moves Left Much to Be Desired

Getting graded is always a nerve-wracking experience.

Do you remember getting grades in school? There was always that feeling of your heart skipping a beat just waiting for that final score.

Well, in sports, players and teams get graded. It’s just someone’s opinion, so it shouldn’t matter too much, but it’s still an embarrassing thing if a team gets a very low grade for its choices.

Now, the Pelicans are getting slammed for their NBA draft showing. Ben Golliver of ESPN gives the team a D grade for how they handled the 2026 NBA draft. Brutal.

The Pelicans selected Jaron Pierre Jr. in round two with the No. 58 overall pick.

“The Pelicans drew significant criticism last year by trading their unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks to move up to grab Derik Queen,” he notes in the piece. “Luckily for New Orleans, that pick landed at No. 8, sparing them another round of intense criticism if Atlanta had jumped up in the lottery.”

He adds: “Needless to say, this year’s draft for the Pelicans was the polar opposite of Mardi Gras pomp and circumstance. Their only pick was Pierre, a 23-year-old guard who went late in the second round.”

Golliver also points out a fun fact that Pierre is actually in the same high school class as Pistons star Cade Cunningham, except that the latter is going into his sixth NBA season.

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My Take: Do the Pelicans Deserve a ‘D’ Grade?

Was it a surprise to see the Pelicans use their only pick on Pierre? Yes. But, does it deserve a D grade? Not really.

Sure, Pierre is one of the older players in the draft. But it’s common for some NBA players to wait to enter the draft. It means that he’s had time, a lot of it, to develop. He should be able to contribute to the Pelicans right away.

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So, the D grade isn’t really about Pierre. It’s about how the Pelicans have handled their draft situation, or lack thereof, in general. And that makes more sense.

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This story was originally published June 26, 2026 at 8:49 PM.