DISASTER: Pelicans’ Draft Plans in SHAMBLES After Falling to 7th | Silver Linings for Next Season

DISASTER: Pelicans’ Draft Plans in SHAMBLES After Falling to 7th | Silver Linings for Next Season

All right, it’s an absolute disaster for the Pel for the Pelicans as they fall to seven in the draft. I’ll tell you how this changes everything for New Orleans in an instant reaction episode of Locked On Pelicans. Let’s go. You are Locked On Pelicans, your daily New Orleans Pelicans podcast, part of the Locked On Network. your team every day. Welcome to another edition of Locked On Pelicans, the daily podcast covering your favorite team, the New Orleans Pelicans and NBA. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day, available wherever you get your podcast and available on YouTube. I’m your host, Pelicans insider, credential member of the media, JakeMadison, Nola Jake on Twitter. here with y’all on this Monday live immediately after the NBA draft lottery where the disaster basically struck for the Pelicans as they fall to seventh in the lottery. And it’s not just seventh in the lottery. It’s also the fact that the Mavericks got one, the Spurs got two in this lottery. That is not a great situation for New Orleans whatsoever. So, I’m going to break down what this means in the big picture for New Orleans. We’ll look at some prospects they might try and draft with the seventh overall pick here and then we’ll get into kind of bigger picture things again. What it means for maybe Zion Williamson, what it means for their outlook next season. All of that coming to you in a live episode of Locked on Pelicans. So, make sure we’ll get to everything here. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. So, by the way, I appreciate everyone joining me live on YouTube as well here. We got a bunch of y’all in here. The way this works on the live show is I’m going to do the whole normal show. We’re going to go with the three segments that we always do and everything like that. And then I will get to your questions in the third or kind of a bonus fourth segment. So, hold your questions in there. Please don’t spam the spam the chat. Be a nice person. All of that. And that’s how we’ll break it all down in today’s episode of Locked On Pelicans. So the big takeaway this of this one is look this is like a disaster for the New Orleans Pelicans. This is not at all the type of situation that they wanted with the fourth best odds to move up or to land a top four pick. The number one overall pick. They fell three spots with three teams behind them with longish odds really making a jump up there. It’s about as bad of a scenario as it could be. The Pelicans could have gotten the eighth overall pick. So you’re one pick better than that. But the problem is two teams in your division, including one that is going to be a juggernaut in the future in the San Antonio Spurs, just all got better, right? The Dallas Mavericks getting this kind of weird karma from the basketball gods is so unbelievably disappointing. Trading away Luca Donuch and what’s arguably the dumbest trade ever and now getting rewarded with the next generational player coming into the draft just feels awful if you’re a Pelicans fan. for the San Antonio Spurs who just gave up nothing to get dear Fox have Victor Wimyama as well. Now you’re adding the second overall pick to that team. Oh, it just makes you feel like this thing is rigged. Now, it’s not rigged. I don’t think it’s rigged. I’m not concerned about anything with that, but this is something that truthfully is demoralizing if you’re a Pelicans fan. We’ll get into why it can be okay with all of that. But the fact that only one team in the East is in the top three really hurts. And this is a draft that if you’re an everyday and you listen to today’s show, yesterday’s show, however you want to look at it, with Rich Stamon of Locked on NBA big board, he said it’s a twoperson draft, right? It’s really a oneperson draft with Cooper Flag and then Dylan Harper being number two. And after that, it’s kind of open. But here’s the thing. When you look at kind of tiers of this draft and where guys might go, the Pelicans are not even probably in the second tier of players. they’re maybe getting into the third, fourth tier of players. Now, this is a good draft. So, tiers are relative to their draft class. So, being picking from the fourth tier guys could mean you’re picking from the second tier, say in last year’s draft or something like that. So, when you see seventh overall, tier three, tier four of prospects in this draft, it doesn’t necessarily mean like they’re getting a bad player or anything like that, but this is definitely something that hurts. That’s disappointing. There will be no Cooper flag in New Orleans. There will likely be no Dylan Harper in New Orleans either. Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecom and Trey Johnson who are maybe the next couple of guys that you could look at there are likely out for the Pelicans as well. So you’re looking at someone like Khan Canipple, Jeremiah Fears, Cayman Malik, um Malwatch, Derek Queen, and a couple of others. And we’ll get to those players a little bit in the next segment here. But it hurts. It sucks. If you’re a Pelicans fan, look, if you’re an everyday one, let me know in the comments down below, but let me know how you’re feeling. Give me one word to describe how you’re feeling after the lottery and just kind of how it went, right? It’s just super disappointing overall that this is how it went. Just missing out on the players that could feel like generational pieces for you, right? Even if you missed out on Cooper Flag, Dylan Harper, I think someone like Ace Bailey might have the highest offensive ceiling in this draft, right? VJ Edgecom is the type of two guard that you want going forward in the NBA and would make an immediate impact for this team. There are other good players here. We’ll look at some of those coming up here next, but you’re missing out on the guys that you look at and go, “Oh, he could be an AllNBA guy.” Cooper Flag screams AllNBA. Dylan Harper looks like he’ll be an allNBA point guard, right? Even Ace Bailey, if he reaches his ceiling, cleans up a few things, is an allNBA kind of guy. VJ Edgecom, maybe not quite there, but defensively he’s going to be really good. Those guys are going to be likely going to be gone before the Pelicans pick at seven right now. So, it is disappointing. That’s the the best way to put it, that it is disappointing for the Pelicans to end up in this position. And I see someone there, Kobe Blunt in there saying, “I feel like I need a drink.” I completely understand it right now. But given that it is such a good draft and some of the players that we’ll talk about in the next segment here. Look, it’s not the end of the world when it comes to everything is how I would kind of say it, right? Coniple is going to be a very, very good NBA player. Kind of in the same vein of Trey Murphy, just a little bit shorter. Trey Johnson looks like the type of player that can maybe lead the league in scoring. Jeremiah Fear still has potential to be an elite point guard, something that this team is really lacking here. Derek Queen and Malawatch are bigs that look like they will be starters from day one and really fit alongside Zion Williamson. So, if you’re looking kind of for silver linings here, this is the type of thing that is like, okay, we’re going to be fine. we’re just going to stay put at seven and we’re going to end up drafting someone there. But make no mistake, this hurts. And in a sense, it feels like it was even more of a wasted season. This draft has been hyped up, particularly the top four, top two for this draft. And to have the miserable season, the Pelicans fans that you endured last year, this hurts to go through all that. You’re supposed to go through the muck and come out on the other side to success. And it makes kind of the pain and suffering, right, worth it before, but you don’t even get that here. And so it puts even more of a damper. It makes last season kind of suck even more for the New Orleans Pelicans. So that’s what’s so disappointing about this. And that’s what hurts so much. Top four in this draft, I don’t think we’d be feeling the same way. There’d be some level of that, but it wouldn’t be to the degree of three teams behind you, let alone two teams that are in your division. And look, the Mavericks have done nothing to deserve this at all. Like nothing to deserve this whatsoever. Same for the San Antonio Spurs, right? Like, yeah, I don’t need this. You got Victor Wimyama. Not the case for the New Orleans Pelicans. So, this is something that just hurts. Sucks. Like I said, a near disaster situation for the New Orleans Pelicans. But let’s get into some of the prospects here because while it is kind of disappointing and it hurts and it’s nothing like what you want here for New Orleans, let’s at least look at it when it comes to some of these prospects and how these guys fit in the direction that the Pelicans might go. In the third segment, we’ll look at, you know, different like come to the other big questions. What about Zion Williamson now? Does this change it? Do you trade the pick? Is Giannis an option with this pick? All of those things. That’s what we’ll look at coming up. And then we’ll get to your questions in a bonus. We’ll call it Locked On Pelicans After Dark that’s coming up here next in today’s episode, a live instant reaction episode of Locked On Pelicans. Today’s episode of Locked On Pelicans is brought to you by Hungry Route. Look, I don’t have time to cook healthy, to meal prep, to do all that. I’m doing these shows for you. I have another full-time job. I just have a social life, too. It’s busy season right now, so I don’t have a lot of time to go grocery shopping or cook healthy meals at home. And that’s why I use Hungry Route. Literally just ate a meal from them. Hungry Root is like having your own personal shopper and nutritionist wrapped up into one. They take care of grocery shopping and meal planning, offering personalized recommendations based on your tastes and health goals. And I love how Hungry Root tailors my orders based on what I like or didn’t love. And it gets smarter every single time. And with their highquality, nutritious food, you can stick to gut- friendly, high protein diets, whatever it might be, without spending hours planning. And the meals come together in 15 minutes or less, giving you more time for your family, to work out, for your hobbies, whatever it might be. And take advantage of this exclusive deal. Get 40% off your first box, plus a free item in every box for life. Go to hungirroot.com/lockdonba and use code locked on NBA. That’s hungry.com/lockedonba. code locked on NBA for 40% off and a lifetime free item. Today’s episode of Locked On Pelicans, a live episode of Locked On Pelicans, is brought to you by Monarch Money. You ever check your bank account and go, “Where did all my money go?” Between dining out, online shopping, entertainment, it’s really easy to lose track. And that’s where Monarch Money comes in. It’s your personal CFO giving you full visibility and control over your finances. So, Monarch Money isn’t just a budgeting app. It’s a complete financial command center. You can track all your accounts, investments, and spending in one place. So, you stop just managing your money and you start building wealth. When I started using Monarch Money, I realized how much money I was spending on food delivery. And now I can budget smarter, save more. Those fees really add up. And instead of juggling multiple apps, which I won’t do. I don’t have the time for to remember what’s what. You can use Monarch to check your finances, track spending, and even plan long-term goals. So, take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code lockdown at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. That’s monarchmoney.com. code lockdown NBA for half off your first year. And thank you for making Lockdown Pelicans your first listen today and every day. We’re here Monday through Friday, the number one Pelicans podcast covering everything you want to know about this Pelicans team. So, please subscribe wherever you get your podcast and join over 11,000 Pelicans fans on YouTube as well. I appreciate everyone who’s here with me on this live instant reaction show to the NBA draft lottery. Let me know if you think it’s rigged in the comments down below. Let me know your thoughts. Tell me who you want to see them draft at seven overall. And now for your second listen today. It’s locked on Saints. The shock Derek Carr retirement. What’s it mean for the cap in the future? When can the Pelicans spend some money? Is the cap fixed in general? Ross Jackson of Lockdown Saints is making sense of everything black and gold. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. So, let’s look at a couple of players the Pelicans could draft with the seventh overall pick, right? I’m assuming Cooper Flag is going to be off the board. I’m assuming Dylan Harper is going to be gone. Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecom. I think those are the top four in this draft. I don’t think those guys are going to be available at seven. Maybe Ace Bailey kind of falls because of the weirdness of how he plays here, but I’m assuming those top four guys are not going to be there. So, let’s kind of run through some of the other options for New Orleans. And look, I think there are some really good ones here. With the seventh overall pick, you can still get this right and you can bring in the type of guy that is going to be a difference maker for you. And let’s start with a guy that I think is going to come, you know, come in and potentially contribute right away and that’s Conniple of Duke. The measurements are slowly coming out of the combine. We’ll look at these in tomorrow’s episode of Locked on Pelicans here. So, Khan Canipple of Duke at 6 foot7, he was a freshman last year, 19 years old, 13.7 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, two and a half assists, and almost a steal per game. This is a guy who, if you listen to yesterday’s show, feels like he’s going to come in and shoot 40% from three. his rookie year in the NBA. If you want maybe the best shooter overall in this draft, it’s Khan Canipple. Here’s the thing that we talked about though earlier last week unlocked on Pelicans, right? This is where you need guys that do multiple things well. Coniple shoots the three really well. He’s a really good offball mover and he has a very high motor, meaning he is going to compete both offensively and defensively for your team. Whether he is just coming from a standstill as a spot-up shooter or even off of the move, this is someone who’s going to drain threes. If they’re keeping Zion Williamson, more on that in the next segment, then you feel really good about a guy like this stepping in potentially being a starter or coming in off the bench. And what I love about him is like this dude relocates really well. He passes. He moves to an open spot and he just gets kind of the the geometry of the modern NBA knowing where to be kind of having that that just awareness of the court of go here, be an outlet here, moving around, relocating really, really good. Now, he can also score with the ball in his hands. He’s not just a three-point spot up shooter, right? He has very good footwork. The way he drives and has a couple of crafty finishes around the rim, that’s overall, I think, a a really good thing. So, he can score at, you know, a a very good rate in multiple levels. He’s not an elite three level scorer, but it’s more than just a shooter here. And looking at his size, he’s going to be at least a good defender at the NBA level. He might not be elite, but he fits really, really well. There’s some concerns about his onball defense. He’s not the most elite athletic guy, but this is someone who’s going to do a number of things really well, especially for his size and position out there on the wing. Common Malawatch out of Duke also is a center that if you just want to add some size and rebounding to this team, this is the dude that’s going to do it. And just because they drafted Eve Mei in the first round last year, I still think they would take a center here. Whether it’s Malach or Dererick Queen, we’ll get to Derek Queen here next, right? This is someone who is going to be who will be your starting center probably midway through the season here. You know, the numbers don’t look pretty, but when this you look at this Duke team and how stacked it was, they didn’t need him to do much other than just be a force down low. And even then, that will make your numbers drop because teams weren’t going at him because he was such good of a he was such a good shot blocker, right? 7 foot2. I think his wingspan was close to 10 feet. I saw the measurements from the in the draft. All of those are pretty great here. So, eight points per game, 6.6 rebounds, half an assist, 1.1 blocks. This dude’s an elite rim protector. That is not something that Eve Mei is just yet. Maybe he’ll get there, maybe not. But at 7 foot2, needing size, particularly in this division with guys like Zack Edy, Victor Wimyama, Malawatch is definitely someone that can do it while being in a vertical spacing threat, a lob threat for this team. Now, he does not do much on the perimeter, but he’s a big threat that teams are going to need to account for. You know, I think Derek Queen is an option, too. When you look at him, right, this is the Nas Reed. Nas Reed, who we’ve wanted to see the Pelicans try and sign, who they’re not going to be able to sign in free agency here, who had a really good tournament for Maryland at 6’10, 20 years old, 15.7 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, two assists, and a block per game. He’s really good around the rim. He’s a good ball handler, too, which is rare for bigs coming into the NBA. He has a postgame. He has shooting potential, too, even if he didn’t shoot particularly great. But you see that he has range. If you want that stretch five, we kind of saw how it worked with Kelly Ool Lin around Zion Williamson. This is the guy in the draft that fits that mold that kind of gets that paradigm player, that archetype kind of player that we have not seen the Pelicans have just yet. And it looks like he can defend multiple positions, which is going to be a really important thing, too. So, he rebounds, he can shoot potentially. That’s the type of player that maybe you want to take a chance on at seven overall and kind of go with the big upside play here. He can definitely do that. Trey Johnson out of Texas, very good size, 6’6, 20.1 points per game, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists. He shot near 40% from three in his one year at Texas here. This is like the Tyler Hero of the NBA draft if you want a comparison. He’s kind of all offense, no defense at all really in my opinion, but he can make shots from anywhere on the court. So, if you’re looking for someone to scare defenses, whether it’s off the bench or as a starter next to Zion Williamson, Trey Johnson definitely is that as a kind of pure two guard in my opinion here. He’s very shifty, really good kind of quick athleticism like that. He can get out there and he’ll break some anxles, I think. But it’s not just an onball score. He moves really well without the ball, too. This is someone who also has a high motor for this team that is going to run through screens. You’ve got to use him creatively. There’s concerns about him kind of fitting into the Pelicans offense or lack thereof. That’s definitely a concern there, too. His defense is not going to be good. But if you’re looking for a special score with the seventh overall pick, Trey Johnson has that. And I want to highlight two more two more players here and then we’ll kind of go into the other big questions. The other one is Jeremiah Fears who’s the second youngest player in this draft I believe behind Cooper Flag. 6’4, you know, as a as a freshman, 16.7 points per game, four rebounds, four assists, 1.6 steals. Again, very good downhill at attacking. And the P pelicans don’t have this kind of downhill attacking guard like that that’s quick too, right? That’s something that is so important for them to get that rim pressure guard that they don’t have. And while he didn’t shoot particularly great from a numbers perspective, this is someone who his shot mechanics look really good. It looks like he’ll be able to be a good three-point shooter. his his mechanics when it comes to free throws are really good, too. You know, you he needs to improve his shot selection. He needs to improve some of the decision- making, but is a really young guy that has really high upside. Jeremiah Fears out of Oklahoma is definitely going to be a guy that would be smart to come in and also is going to be able to score right away because he does have that mid-range game. like if you kind of want a high-end NBA comp for him, right, that is going to be Jamal Murray when it comes to Jeremiah Fierce. Another guy that is really growing on me that I’m really interested in and I’m going to be curious, you know, when when and if the Pelicans work him out is Colin Murray Broyals out of South Carolina. Th this guy screams Draymond Green to me. And I mean prime Draymond Green, but with better offense. And look how important Draymond Green was to that Golden State Warriors dynasty that they’ve had, right? Six foot eight as a wing power forward, almost 17 points per game, eight rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 blocks per game. He’s probably one of the best defenders to enter the draft in recent years. You know, he can guard multiple positions. His wingspan is over seven feet, so the size is really good. And this dude is just smart. This dude is really, really smart. And I think that’s an important thing. Just adding some basketball IQ to this team is very much needed. He’s a good rebounder. He can operate out of the high post as a playmaker for others. So, you toss the ball to him, people rotate around him, move around him, and he can kick the ball out to the right one. All of those things are really good qualities and something that the team needs. and he can score on the inside. So, that’s great. The problem is he’s not a great shooter. He was not a good shooter in high school. He’s not a good shooter at the college level. That’s not ideal for some to step into this team when you have Zion Williamson. So, that’s worth keeping in mind as well. But, if you could build a shot out, this dude’s going to be an elite NBA player and have a very, very long career. So, I just went over a bunch of names. Colin Murray Broyals, we talked about Derek Queen, Trey Johnson, Jeremiah Fears, uh, Common Malawatch, as well as Coniple. Of that group, which one do you like the most? I think you can’t really go wrong with any of those guys. And that’s why I said like I’m I’m not overly worried about the Pelicans falling. It It sucks. It hurts. But there’s some really good players in this draft that project as NBA starters and even high-end starters. Even if they don’t have all-star or all NBA level, those are really useful players to try and have. And I think that’s an important thing to keep in mind when it comes to it. So, those are some of the names that I’m going to be looking at with the seventh overall pick. There’s there’s more too here. Someone like um Jace Richardson or Casparis Yakonis is also an option there too. Uh, so those are guys that I think could really make an impact for this team next year. But what’s the direction of the team? That’s kind of the big question. Now, this is a knock, right? So, do you go for the playoffs? Is it rebuild time? That’s the direction you need to kind of figure out. Let’s talk about that and a couple of other things coming up here next in a live bonus, not bonus, but live episode of Locked on Pelicans. Today’s episode of Locked On Pelicans brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA playoffs are in full swing and every night delivers highlightworthy performances, major momentum shifts, and can’t miss moments. Whether it’s a game-winning shot or a breakout player, there’s never been a better time to get in on the action. And FanDuel makes it easy to stay in the game before tip off and live. With player props, performance trends, and same game parlays, fans have more ways than ever to play smart and to win big. Look, I don’t have a dog in the fight when it comes to the playoffs, but I think the Celtics are going to come back in this series. Probably going to win. You could get them on the money line. Just get an outright win that way. And how about $200 in bonus bets to add to the excitement if your first $5 bet wins. And if you keep an eye on the trends, you can get in on live same game parlays to win even more money. So, if you’re new to FanDuel, it’s the perfect time to sign up. Head to FanDuel.com and place your first $5 bet. If it wins, you’re going to get $200 in bonus bets. If you’re a new FanDuel customer, make every moment more with FanDuel, official sports betting partner of the NBA. And thank you for making Locked On Pelicans your first listen today and every day. We’re here Monday through Friday, the number one Pelicans podcast, covering everything you want to know about this Pelicans team. So, please subscribe wherever you get your podcast and join over 11,000 Pelicans fans on YouTube as well. We are live right now talking all things Pelicans after the NBA draft. Kind of a disaster scenario for the Pelicans with the seventh overall pick here. I will get to your questions in a little bit of locked on Pelicans after dark after we do this segment here. I also need to text someone back really quickly which I will do as we kind of go to the break there and do everything. So we got a lot to talk about with all of this. So it’s going to be a lot of fun here. But let’s talk about some of the things that we kind of hinted at a little bit a minute or two ago. You know, the direction for the Pelicans right now. They’re going to look to get back into the playoffs. And I they feel they’re going to be a playoff team, right? You saw a very clear message sent from talking to people with the team and around the league the past couple days of the Pelicans having Zion Williamson on stage. You don’t do that at the lottery and then trade him. That’s a weird look. I don’t no one is expecting a Zion Williamson trade anymore when it comes to down to it. They feel around the league that the Pelicans are keeping Zion. Now maybe this was part of the plan here to drive up his price in a sense of well we’re not going to trade him so you better make make better offers but it feels like they’re going to continue to go behind Zion Williamson and get back into the playoffs next year. Don’t forget a year ago this team had 49 wins. Now you’ve lost Brandon Ingram. You know, things certainly feel different from that. The center position is much more uncertain than it was, you know, two years ago when you won 49 games. But last year, more than anything else, it was injuries that derailed the team. They felt really good about the addition of Deontay Murray and what they were going to be able to achieve. So, they think they’re going to come back healthy, get right back into the playoffs, and that’s going to be that. add a add an impact rookie of those guys we just mentioned there’s a few coniple either of the centers in Derrick Clean or Malawatch are all going to be probably like day one starters for you I think and going to help this team and if they don’t trade Zion that’s kind of what they’re saying is let’s get back into the playoffs that’s what we want to do because they it’s how you’re going to do it right if they think they’re going to trade Zion Williamson and you’re going to get back into the playoffs they are very very much mistaken when it comes down to it. So I think if they’re playing and that’s what it is right now. It’s not a rebuild or anything like that. They feel there’s a lot of talent on this team. We never really got to see the true ceiling that they have and I don’t know if it was 49 wins. Maybe it was fewer than that. But they could have been a playoff team last year. There’s no reason to think that they couldn’t have been if it wasn’t for injuries. Now the problem is injuries keep following him, right? Zion Williamson playing only 30 games, but if you’re an everydayer, you know, he played closer to 56 in a sense, right? They were intentionally holding him out of backto backs. So, he could have played in those games. That knocked down the number of games that he played. They shut him down for the final like 11 games or so of the regular season. He was healthy and could have played those games, right? So, if you put him back on the team, he’s closer to 50s something games played last year, which maybe makes you feel better, maybe doesn’t make you feel better. There’s potential for that. So, keep that in mind when you’re kind of thinking about building around Zion Williamson that I do think that 30 games played number is slightly, only slightly misleading. The hamstring injury is not going to be a great thing and he’s had too many of those. So, they need to figure that out. But Joe Dumars definitely seems like the nononsense kind of guy, right? Noonsense type of person that if he can kind of reach Zion or listen to Zion and thinks there’s any he’s going to trade Zion, if there’s any sort of issues, there really feels like that. Doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen anymore. If you have Zion Williamson on the podium there in terms of trading the seventh overall pick, you know, I’ll do more a whole show on this probably this week. I don’t I don’t think that’s going to be an option for the team. I really don’t think unless you could package the seventh overall pick and Deonte Murray for another elite player, maybe CJ thrown in there too and kind of have a bigger trade, that’s not something this team is going to do, nor should they really do unless you’re getting Giannis, Kevin Durant, one of those kind of players. I don’t think you’re going to see them trade the seventh overall pick of all those names that we just listed and including some that we haven’t. Those are starter guys in the NBA. Those are all guys that will be starters in the NBA and I think you need to keep the pick and get a cheap costcontrolled guy like that. The Pelicans books in terms of salary cap and all that is not great right now. Getting a cheap cost controlled guy for four years then some years after that on the extension is a really important thing to do here. So I don’t see them trading that pick. Now, depending on who you draft, it maybe means you can trade somebody else. You know, if you take a guard, I don’t know if you necessarily need to keep CJ McCullum if you’re also keeping an eye on the future. If you take someone like Colin Murray Broyals, does it potentially, and I’m not saying they should do this or that they’re even thinking about it, but if you find the right other kind of trade, do you potentially package Herb Jones in a deal or something along those lines now that you have another elite defender that you can get? You know, if you draft a Derek Queen, a Malawatch, do you not need to go after a center in the trade market, right? Th this draft is going to influence what the rest of the starting lineup here is going to be. So, we’ll see where they end up going with all of this. But now all of a sudden, there’s a lot more flexibility in a sense, more different directions and things like that that the Pelicans could go through. You know, after this draft and how it shook out, it was pretty obvious what they were going to do if they got one or two, even three or four. But now this kind of changes the paths forward for New Orleans. It’s still going to be competitive. They still feel that they’re going to get back into the playoffs. And maybe they do, maybe they don’t, but they’re at least going to be more competitive next season. It’s going to be hard to not be more competitive next season after all the injuries that you suffered this past season. And even healthy Zion is going to be an important thing. So that’s something that’s going to that you need to keep in mind here, too. And I see someone mention this. Luke says, “How’s the 2026 draft class looking?” That’s great timing because I was about to get to a point here with that. One thing I do not want to see them do because I want them to be able to pivot mid-season with this, is trading away their own 2026 first round pick. The 2026 draft is pretty stacked. The Boozer Twins, sons of Carlos Boozer, former NBA player going to Duke this next year, and they look like they’re going to be the top two guys upcoming in the NBA draft. Those guys look like they’re going to be good. this overall upcoming draft 2026, not this one, the next one looks to be pretty good. If it doesn’t work out, you can blow it up mid-season, tank, and still end up with another top pick and take your chances again. This is what happens in the lottery. You know, Detroit had the worst overall record a couple years ago, like just record setting, right? Two years ago, and they ended up with a fifth overall pick. They ended up with a fifth pick a couple of times in a row. Tanking has its risks. Big time has its risks. and you kind of saw it tonight. This is why I think the team’s not going to go through a rebuild and go for the go for competing. So, we’ve got a lot more to talk about, but let’s do a little bit of Lockdown Pelicans After Dark here, and I’m going to So, here’s how this works. I’ll answer your questions. It’s my time to interact with y’all in the chat. So, save your questions. The chat’s been flying, so I I’m not going to be able to go back and go through them. So, if you’ve got questions coming up, put them in the chat now and we’ll start to answer all of those. I’m going to hit the little outro video that I normally do here. I’m going to cut it on the audio side for a second and then we’re going to come back and we’re going to do a little bit Locked on Pelans After Dark where we take your questions, all of that stuff that’s coming up here next on a live edition of Locked on Pelgans. But, I got to do the outro first. As always, I’m your host Jake Madison at Nola Jake on Twitter. I appreciate you all so much for listening. A whole lot to come this week about the seventh overall pick in different directions for the Pelicans. Zion, trading it, drafting guys. We’ll have draft experts on as well. It’s going to be a lot of fun here on the Locked On Pelicans podcast. We are part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Appreciate y’all listening and I’ll be back with y’all tomorrow. Stick around. All right, we’re back with Locked on Pelicans after dark here as we are still live on YouTube overall. It’s time to take your questions, answer your questions in the chat. So, it’s kind of y’all’s time to shine here. We’ll go for a little while. I had to text someone back who wants to tape an interview with me really quickly. So, lot going on. Busy night here, but I want to make some time for all of y’all. So, let’s let’s kind of get into everything here. Put your questions, good or bad, in the chat and we will talk about all of it here. Um, all right, hold on. All right, we got a photographer coming over to my house. Um, hi babe. That’s so so you know now. So, okay, let’s get into it here. Rob McCoy says, “When is Herb expected back?” As of now, everything I’ve heard is he should be ready for the start of the regular season. You know, that shoulder injury is four to six months happened in January. The surgery and all that like should be in theory fine for the start of the regular season. Maybe not, but I think that’s where everything now seems fine until we kind of hear otherwise. Honor the creator says, “Jake, with the draft order established, who do you think will be available for the Pelicans at 7?” We just kind of ran through some of the names. I expect top guys in terms of guards to be Trey Johnson, Jeremiah Fears. I think you’re going to see common Malawatch up there. I think you’ll see Derek Queen in there too. Colin Murray Broyals is another name to keep an eye on. Uh Kasparus Yakatonus I think is also another name as well to keep an eye on if they want kind of a big tall point guard in that sense. So those are going to be guys I think um that you could see them there. Um, Cesar can is it Kete says, “I really want an extra first round pick this year.” Yeah, I could see it. This is a good draft to maybe try and trade back up in. I don’t want to give future assets up to do that given that future drafts are also good. And there’s, you know, given that you’re going to be trying to compete for the playoffs next year. There’s only so many like developmental minutes for guys to go around. So, that’s something to keep in mind as well when it comes down to it that you don’t need to have like the all the young guys here. Hold on. I need to respond to a text message about filming an interview for Fox 8 here. I I’m listening to I’m looking at the chat and responding to this thing here. Okay, there we go. Um, trying to multitask on a very busy night. Josh L says, “We’re going to trade for the ghost of Joel Embiid, aren’t we?” No, I think with Philly getting what was it, the third overall pick, whatever it was. Um, I don’t think you’re going to see them end up trading Joel Embiid, I think they’re going to feel pretty good about where they are in kind of bumping it back up with Paul George, Tyrese Maxi, and Joel Embiid while adding an impactful rookie for everything. Dot you heard says, “Dump it all for Giannis. At least it would be fun.” It would be, but if you’re going to trade for Giannis, it’s going to take basically all your future draft assets, even though the Bucks want their own pick swaps back, but you’re still going to need to give up Zion and other things, and it’s just going to leave this team kind of weird. So, I don’t know how good they’re going to be everything here. Skullful Shaq says, “Lol, why does it feel like the same every year when building around Zion, drafting elite defense player or another scorer? I mean, I don’t know who else you supposed to draft. elite scorers are good defenders, you know, wings, whatever. But like you play offense and defense in the NBA. That’s kind of what you do, right? The draft can be, you know, very much a crapshoot hit or miss when it comes to all of this. So, I think it’s one of those things where like sometimes you just need to take a lot of swings of it. Like, right, if drafting was that easy, there wouldn’t be bus, right? This wouldn’t be a thing. This wouldn’t be a whole big industry around it, but every team has misses. Every team has some hits, too. Some more than others. So, I think those are the type of things to look at here. Um, Jeremy Chadam says, “I think a rebuild is necessary. Dallas, San Antonio, or Houston are about uh about to shoot so far ahead of us.” I mean, maybe, you know, if Zion’s healthy, this team can be good. We’ve seen it, you know, two years ago that when Zion was healthy, this team was elite, elite, elite, elite at times. The net rating kind of, if you look at the numbers and the statistical profile, it’s not only that, you got to look at other things, too. They looked really good. And that’s an important thing to keep in mind that Zion ceiling and how much he can raise a team up is higher than probably anyone on Houston in my opinion. Not as much as San Antonio. You know, potentially even higher than anyone on the Dallas Mavericks. Those guys are elite. Kyrie Irving is an elite scorer. Anthony Davis an elite defender. Cooper Flag is going to take a minute. But, you know, right now Zion can be above those guys. I think when it comes down to it, he’s just got to be healthy, right? Like that’s kind of the the main thing here. Doug Rosenthal says, “Hey Jake, I love you, man. I know you’re doing your job talking about guys available at seven, but I just can’t get excited about any of these guys. Talk me out of of the talk me out of the bummed out feelings I’m having.” I mean, look, I I think feeling bummed is the correct thing. Feeling disappointed, feeling let down. All of that is the natural thing here, right? I’m even bummed and feeling let down and all of that. But when you look at these players, I like all of these guys. the ones that I just mentioned I think are all going to be good starters in the NBA. This is just how it goes in the lottery, right? You you can miss on it. You know, it it’s out of your control and that’s a difficult thing to accept, but doesn’t mean that all is lost or it’s the end of the world. Yes, you didn’t get one of these other players that you would have liked, but you can still get a useful player that’s going to be a starter for your team. I think all of those guys that we just mentioned can fit around Zion Williamson, too. for the most part. That’s also an important thing that the fit there is going to be really good. So, not just talent, but fit. And kind of merging those two into one thing is really important for the Pelicans here. Jose Hasbun says, “Does this wash the curse that we have on us? Uh, does this wash out the curse that we have had on us?” I hope so. This should mean a healthy season, right? I think we can all agree with that. Been through it this year here. So, let’s kind of be good here. Best villager says, “What position do we need the most? Should we draft another center of guard?” I think it’s going to depend on who’s available at seven. I think you’re kind of just going like best best player available, whoever’s the biggest on your board at that point. You can kind of think position and fit a little bit, but you know, if you have one guy rated higher than the other, take the other guy. If they’re kind of even, go with the best fit or the one that you think can help right away because they want to get back into the playoffs here. But given we won’t know their big board or something like that, it’s a little bit tough to kind of say until we get to the draft night and see who’s available. And we’ll run some, you know, mock drafts when it comes to that as well to try and look at that sort of thing here. Um, Jimmy Brock says, “What would your dream scenario be with the seventh overall pick?” You know, I’m not sure yet. I have to think about it more given that this just happened and we’re gonna have the combine this week and some guys can really improve or hurt their stock at the combine. So, I’ll be able to answer that question a little bit better next week for you here. I like Jeremiah Fierce. I really like um Conanipple, although I kind of worry about what his ceiling’s going to be long term. I’m not the highest on Trey Johnson, but he can be a really good player here. Derek Queen gives Nasre Reed vibes and that’s an important thing to me getting that kind of center that can fit next to Zion Williamson here. Um, Skull Shack says, “Can Zion and Giannis work?” Yeah, you you’ll make it work between those two. Um, when it comes to everything here, um, Jonathan Bordeaux says, “How does it affect the new arena deal for the Pelons?” I mean, it doesn’t. They’re going to they’re going to try and work on something, you know, it’s kind of as simple as that here. Um, Ethan Griggs says, “Jake, what was your immediate reaction when the Pelicans were announced? I can’t say it on the show because we’re family friendly, but it would be bleeped out if uh if I if if I could put it out there.” Inward says, “Is Dejante Murray coming back by training camp?” That’s a good question. Probably not. That’s about a year-long injury. He suffered it in January. I don’t think we’ll see him until 2026. He tends to be a fast healer. He’s already up and moving. You’ve kind of seen some of the videos from him. Maybe, maybe. I don’t want to rule it out, but I think training camp would be a bit of a stretch for him, and maybe that’s not the most realistic thing to to kind of see, but he’ll be back next season at some point here. Um, Titsu says, “Is the mindset of having the seventh pick that much different from if we got the eighth pick?” No, it’s truly not. Like, it’s kind of the same thing. That’s why I said it’s basically a worst case scenario for the Pelicans. You could have dropped one more spot, but I don’t think it really changes much. What hurts is Dallas and San Antonio jumping up in the lottery here. Keith asks, “What’s a realistic return for CJ on a trade?” You know, it depends on what picks you’re including in there. You kind of are using him more for salary than anything else. I think there’s a couple of teams that could value him more than others. Maybe Houston, maybe Orlando um that would value him more. But overall, you’re kind of looking, it depends on the picks you’re including when it comes to it, and you need quite a few there. I don’t think his contract is killer, but I don’t think with the contract and the deal that he has that it’s like considered a plus asset or anything like that here. Um, let’s keep looking through some of these questions here as we not start to wrap up. We’ll get there, but y’all are still hanging out with me, which I very much appreciate. I should mention this. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcast. join over 11,000 Pelicans fans on YouTube as well. We do these live shows. We’ll do these at least once a week, I think, over the off season here to be able uh you know to answer your questions and all of everything you want to know about the team. It’s going to be a lot of news overall when it comes to everything. So, keep an eye on everything here and we’ll be talking about it all um when it comes to it. I’m trying to go through the chat here and everything. Keep throwing them out there here. So, I I appreciate you all. Donado 77 says, “Does Fuse have the highest ceiling? Maybe the lowest floor of who will be likely available.” I don’t necessarily think he has the highest ceiling. I think when you, you know, kind of think about young players, right, his prime, 24, let’s say, you know, his like physical prime is six years away. How good could he be before he hits that physical prime? And that’s kind of why you tend to draft freshman young guys early on in the draft. and you see more seniors and upper classmen get drafted a little bit later. So, I think his ceiling is really really high. But, yeah, he could be kind of a boomer bust kind of prospect pretty easily. I I agree with you that his floor could definitely be the lowest when it comes to everything here. Um, Labaz says, “If you had the responsibility making the pick at seven, who would you get?” You you can’t know that until you know who went 56 because I think that’s going to impact it too, right? Like if if Ace Bailey is there at seven, I’m just going to take Ace Bailey. It’s really as simple as that, right? If VJ Edge falls to seven, I don’t think he will. I’m taking him. You know, I think we’ll have a much better idea about this after the combine. And so, we’ll talk more about that kind of next week when it comes to everything here. Um, Sean says, “Jake, do you think we should trade DeJonte Murray since he has played the worst of his career here?” You know, he was injured, right? Like, he never got comfortable. I I don’t know. You know, I think if you can move him just because he’s been injured and try and get a player that’s going to help you for the first two, three months of the season, that’s important. You know, having 30 something million dollars sit on the sidelines and then probably be on a minutes restriction the rest of the way when he comes back is not great when you’re trying to make the postseason next year. So, you know, I think it might be difficult to trade an injured player, but maybe do a rebuilding team or something like that. And again, it’s going to depend on, you know, what picks you include when it comes to that sort of thing. Um, MC1 says, “Draft combine and scrimmages are huge for the Pelicans now. Scouting, observing, digging deeper into these players.” Yep, absolutely is. You know, that’s why I think it’s a good thing they’re keeping a lot of the guys, you know, that are kind of doing a lot of the scouting and things like that when it comes to these players. And look, you know, even when people leave the organization, they’re filing reports. All that stuff’s in a database, a computer system that they have. So even if those guys leave, they still have all the work that those player people did. You know, Bryson Graham has done a really good job of kind of leading the Pelicans draft and all of that. He’s still here, you know. So I think that’s an important thing to keep in mind that, you know, there’s some continuity there for the work that they’ve been doing all season. And they were they were prepping for a scenario like this. This wasn’t like they’re like, “Oh my god, what do we do?” This is something that, you know, they plan for and that they prep for when it comes down to it all. So, keep that in mind as well that, yeah, this is just kind of like a normal thing to see here. Um, for everything here, Thomas Atinson says from four to seven. Wow. Look, it’s how it goes. Look at if go look at the the Detroit Pistons like draft history in the lottery. Not been great. Like they fell basically every year after getting Cade Cunningham. How it kind of goes. Um, all right. Let’s keep going here. Daryl Leonard says, “Jake, no one knows if any of these guys will pan out. Take your chance and move Murray and CJ to get them off your books and keep it moving. Would still have a pretty young court.” You know, it depends on what you can get for those guys, right? Like that’s part of the problem. Um, and you know, draft a guy, throw him in there. You could do that, too. There’s a number of different directions that they could go with everything here. So, I love that. Um, Keith says, “Your Zion is getting so old, Jake. entering year seven and absolutely nothing to show. I mean, I don’t know what my Zion take is considering I was saying they should probably trade him. So, all right. Um, this is just kind of how it goes doing this sort of stuff here. Um, Nola G says, “Jake, we know you can’t say it, but blink four times if you think this was rigged.” I I don’t think it’s rigged. I don’t think it’s rigged. I promise I don’t think it’s rigged. This is just like it’s how it goes. Like, it’s how it goes and it’s just real unfortunate, right? These are the type of things that like makes it feel like you don’t like this like the NBA and it’s just not fun when it just kind of goes against your you know your team. So those are things to really keep you know in mind with it. But you’ve seen this happen to other teams too. Like I said Detroit went through all this. They got cade then they fell in the draft after awful seasons multiple years in a row. Look at them now. you can still build a good team through this. And trust me, we’re going to look at the kind of team building there and what they’re doing. And look, that was done by Troy Weaver. They fired him, brought in Trajan Langden, and they elevated the season, but a lot of the guys they drafted and acquired were Troy Weaver, who’s now working for the Pelicans. So, that’s worth keeping in mind, too. U Brandon Penn says, “Jake, how familiar are you with Danny Wolf? He looks like an American shenon.” I I haven’t watched a ton of him yet. He’s someone that will be on my radar when it comes down to it. So, we’ll see. We’re not there just yet when it comes to it, but um we’ll be doing a lot of scouting when these guys, but he seems like he’s going to be, you know, kind of a first round pick in some capacity. So, I think he’s someone there, but probably towards the end of the first round, but combine workouts, all those things can really elevate a lot of these prospects here. JB Bro says Steph was the seventh pick. There you go. That can make it like very positive for everything. So, you know, there’s potential there for things to really improve. All right. You got a fivem minute warning here because I’ve got to go do a TV hit. See me on Fox 8 a little bit later. I’ll also be on WDSU over the weekend. I would not be shocked if I’m on WWL as well. Going to be on WWL radio at 910 tomorrow morning breaking down the lottery with Tommy Tucker. So going to you’re probably not going to be able to avoid me for better or worse um over the next week or so when it comes down to it here. Carrie says the overwhelming feeling is that the team is stuck. If healthy, it’s not too different from the Kings or am I totally off base? Middle of the road team in the West in terms of fighting for the playin. I like that question. I’m literally going to copy and paste that question to save for a we’ll turn that into a future show. Like are the Pelicans stuck? That’s a great question. I’m going to turn that into something else. So Carrie, thank you for that one and making my life a little bit easier here too. Um Cesar Contente says there’s a possibility of trading for the Hornets pick. We can take Ace Bailey at four and Jeremiah Fears at seven. You probably need to include Zion Williamson in that. I’m I’m interested. Be kind of fun truthfully. Um so we’ll see if that’s a direction they go. I I don’t know if Charlotte’s going to do that though. I I you know maybe but depends if they want to jumpst start their team and that’d be a little bit risky I think here um when it comes to everything here. Um all right couple more questions and then we’re going to start to wrap up. Arman Rashad says Ace Bailey going to the Spurs at two. I just don’t see that as their kind of player. Like really don’t see that as their kind of player. So um we’ll see. Skullful Shack says, “You the man, Jake. I couldn’t stand watching this team sometimes, but you always give me hope.” I tend to be an optimistic person and look towards the future, right? You know, if I come in here and I’m like, “This team’s never going to do anything.” What’s the point of watching? Like, why would I tell you not to watch when you know, watch the team and thus then probably not watch Locked On Pelicans? It’s just not kind of how I operate and think. Like, I’m looking for interesting things about the team for the directions that they can go in. So, I tend to focus on those sorts of things. So seven, we can I could do shows every day of like how this sucks, how this sucks. It doesn’t What’s that do? What’s that do for you, right? Instead, I’m going to look at the players and how they can improve because that’s what we want, right? If you were at a bar talking with your friends, sitting at the bar having a beer or whatever, you’re talking, oh, they should make this trade. Here’s who they should sign. Here’s how they’re on. Like, that’s what we, you know, I kind of want this to feel at times like sitting with a friend at a bar talking about what it could be or asking questions and that sort of thing. Brandon Pik says, “The Miles Turner signing trade unlikely given the play uh Pacers playoff run. Thanks for the great content. Appreciate you listening.” Yeah, I’d say so. I think Miles Turner’s kind of like off for the team when it comes to it now when it comes to everything. So, I I don’t see that happening um with it all. All right, final like two, three questions here um for everybody here. Um let me let me grab one or two more. um when it comes to everything. Dwayne Hair says, “Zion was at the representative of the lottery. He’s not getting traded.” Yeah, I don’t I don’t think he is um at all when it comes down to it. Um oh, this one’s good. Titu says, “Zion being fully healthy this season, worth more than Cooper would have been at least for this season. Maybe not long term, but yeah, for this season, I think that is a safe safe thing to say for at least this one year when it comes down to it. Long term, maybe not. Cooper Flag looks like he’s gonna be really really good. So, that’s something to keep in mind, too. That’s why this sucks, right? Like, we were we were really excited about it and everything. Uh Margaret Griswald says, “Jake, I’m crushed. Talk me off the ledge. Listen to the first part of the show and I’ll be with you here um next this whole week and next week, you know, going forward. We’re going to look at positive things. We’ll talk about what they can do, why they might be good, where they need to improve, how they can then improve, all of those sorts of things. So, we’ve got a lot more to come here on Locked on Pelicans. So, that’s going to do it for the little bit of Locked on Pelicans After Dark, hanging out with y’all in the chat and everything. This was a lot of fun. I love doing these live shows. We’ll do more of these this off season as we highlight players, bring on some guests, um, and all of that. So, lot of fun here. I disappointing night, but I appreciate y’all so much for hanging out with me, looking at this team, discussing the options, putting your questions in the chat. As always, I’m your host JakeMadison at Nola Jake on Twitter and I’ll be back with y’all tomorrow. And I don’t know what we’re gonna talk about yet, but it’s gonna have to do with the draft and everything. So, we got a lot more to come the rest of this week. I appreciate y’all and I’ll see you all next time. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Join us on YouTube as well. Become an everyday. That means you listen Monday through Friday to Locked On Pelicans. And of course, do me a favor. Tell a friend about the show. Tell one friend about the show. Send them the link to YouTube or on podcast. Get them listening. That’s one of the best things you can do to help out Locked on Pelgans. We don’t charge you for things. There’s no super chats where you pay for all that. It’s all completely free. It always will be. So share the show around and I’ll be back with y’all. I guess it will be technically on Wednesday, so tomorrow. See y’all next time.

Pelicans’ Draft Disaster: What’s Next for New Orleans?

The New Orleans Pelicans face a challenging road ahead after landing the 7th pick in the NBA draft lottery. With division rivals like the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs securing higher picks, the Pelicans’ offseason is off to a bad start.

Host Jake Madison breaks down the implications of this draft position, exploring potential picks like Jeremiah Fears and Derrick Queen. He discusses the team’s direction, Zion Williamson’s future, and the possibility of trading the pick. Madison also highlights the importance of maintaining flexibility for the 2026 draft class, featuring prospects like the Boozer twins.

Don’t miss this insightful analysis of the Pelicans’ draft strategy and future prospects. Tune in for expert insights and strategic discussions.

Join the Locked On Pelicans Insiders: https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonpelicans

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOPelicans?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

#NewOrleansPelicans #ZionWilliamson #NBA #pelicans

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Prizepicks
Now’s the perfect time to join. Download the app today and use code LOCKEDONNBA to get $50 instantly when you play your first $5 lineup! That’s right—no need to win to get the bonus, it’s guaranteed. PrizePicks—Run Your Game!
Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA

Hungryroot
With Hungryroot, it’s like having a personal shopper and a nutritionist all in one. For a limited time, get 40% off your first box and a free item in every box for life! Just go to Hungryroot.com/lockedonnba and use code LOCKEDONNBA.

CarGurus
Buy or sell your next car today with CarGurus at CarGurus.com to make sure your big deal is the best deal.

WayFair
After the holiday hustle, there’s nothing like giving your home a little TLC. Give your home the refresh it needs with Wayfair. Head to Wayfair.com right now. Wayfair. Every style. Every home.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4k
Did you know your Fire TV is also an Xbox? Turn any TV into your gaming and entertainment hub with Fire TV Stick 4K devices — no console required. Head to Amazon.com/firetvlockedon to get started. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and compatible controller required.

Door Dash
Sign up for DashPass and when any player scores 50+ in a playoff game, DashPass members can grab a free 3PC Crispy Tenders Combo from Wingstop the next day, with a $20+ order and code WINGSTOP50. That’s DashPass: your door to more savings, more flavor, and more ways to win. Terms apply.

Valid only at participating Wingstop locations. Fees (including service fee), taxes, and gratuity still apply. Orders must have a minimum subtotal of $20, excluding taxes and fees. Offer valid on 4/15/25-6/22 /25 or while supplies last. Valid for one (1) promotional redemption per customer. DoubleDash promotions apply only to your DoubleDash add-on order, not your primary order. DoubleDash orders are not valid for the purchase of alcohol. No cash value. Non-transferable. Discount applies to subtotal only; does not apply to fees, taxes, and gratuity. Not valid for pickup. Limit one per person. Not valid for the purchase of alcohol. Fees, taxes, and gratuity still apply. Must have an active DashPass account. Use promo code WINGSTOP50 to redeem. See full terms and conditions at drd.sh/qnAXuU
Monarch Money
Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel
Right now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)