Some draft grades for the Pelicans

I am not inserting an opinion, just sharing the opinion of outsiders. Looks like they view our pick as a B+


CBS: 21. New Orleans Pelicans (via Bucks): C Yves Missi, Baylor

New Orleans has a young asset at every position except center, and this solves that. Missi has the same potential as Dereck Lively to be an early achiever because he's a natural rim protector and defensive presence. He should have been off the board in terms of his upside, but now he goes to a really good fit. Grade: A-

USA Today: Missi has the frame (7-foot-2 wingspan at 6 feet, 11 inches tall) and athleticism to be an impact defender in the paint and on the perimeter while catching lobs on offense. He will need to cut down on fouls in the NBA and is a liability at the free throw line.

Grade: B. Missi is one of the more raw prospects at the position in this draft but his defense should help one of the worst three-point defending teams in the league. The 31-year-old Jonas Valanciunas took the majority of the minutes at center last season so Missi is a developmental piece for the future

Sporting News:Grade: B+
Pelicans veteran center Jonas Valanciunas is an unrestricted free agent entering the latter stage of his career, so it was smart to target a big man.

Missi is a raw 20-year-old freshman with his best basketball ahead of him. The 6-11 big man is a ball of energy. He's relentless on the glass with explosive athleticism to block shots and flush lobs. He'll be a fun development project to follow in New Orleans

For the Win: The Pelicans are likely going to need a replacement for Jonas Valanciunas, who is expected to test the market as an unrestricted free agent. They found someone who could eventually step in and fill that role with Yves Missi, who has fantastic potential as a big man. He has the ideal build for the position, he is an excellent rebounder who crashes the glass and boxes out hard. It may take him some time until he is ready to join the rotation, but if he can eventually play a role a bit like Dereck Lively did for the Mavericks last season, it would be phenomenal. — BK

GRADE: B+

Bleacher Report: Center was an obvious position of need for the Pelicans, and there is a non-zero chance that Yves Missi becomes this draft's top player at the position. He doesn't have a towering upside, but his skills should easily translate, and they are important to have in the modern NBA.

Missi feels easily projectable. There is a slight backhanded compliment in there, but it's more positive than negative.

The bouncy big man has all of the length (6'11" with a 7'2" wingspan) and athleticism to thrive in a rim-running role. He stays active on the glass, sends shots back at the basket and moves well enough on the perimeter to hedge and recover in pick-and-roll coverage.

A Missi-Zion Williamson frontcourt should already rank among the league's most explosive.

The Pelicans just shouldn't expect much else out of Missi. Maybe ever. He isn't a shooter, doesn't have a deep array of post moves and offers next to nothing with creation or passing.

Grade: B+