Pelicans/Bucks Pick Watch 2027

[jayu70]

I honestly can't tell what the Pelicans are even doing at this point...

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Neither do I, as long as they deliver us a high a pick as possible.

[HMFFL]

Pels will be active in trade talks this year. They have several pieces that need to be moved. Bey being one of them and Poole.

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[Jamaaliver]

Spoiler:

Draft Day Big Board Series | GUARDS - 2027

Neoklis Avdalas - 6’9” PG / Wing | Sophomore | University Of North Carolina

My candidate to go from unranked preseason to Top 5 Draft Pick - Neoklis Avdalas, the 6’9” North Carolina sophomore from Greece, remains one of the most intriguing and polarizing prospects in the 2027 NBA Draft class. After a full freshman season as Virginia Tech’s primary initiator and a subsequent transfer to Chapel Hill under Michael Malone, he still runs the point with rare poise for his size. Guard skills—crafty handles, advanced vision, and high-level decision-making—meet forward length. In 2025-26 he averaged 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 31.7 minutes while starting every game, ranking among the ACC’s top assist men and posting a strong assist-to-turnover mark. Pick-and-roll creation, transition passing, and the ability to slice through gaps stay his calling cards. Multiple 30-point outbursts and two ACC Rookie of the Week honors showed the ceiling when the shot falls.
The jumper is still the swing skill. He shot 38.6% from the field and 31.4% from three last season; midrange and pull-up efficiency lagged, and spacing questions persist against NBA length. When the three falls he can look like a jumbo creator who controls pace and impacts winning. When it doesn’t, he risks landing as a connective wing, secondary playmaker, or high-end role player rather than a star. Early 2027 boards reflect that split: late first-round to mid-second-round range, with some evaluators listing him as a wild card whose stock could jump in a well-spaced UNC offense. The size-feel-production package still makes him a must-watch through ACC play.

How NEO can climb into the top 5 (I think he can);

• Make the three a real weapon. He needs a jump from ~31% to the mid-to-high 30s (ideally 36%+ on good volume) with cleaner off-dribble and catch-and-shoot mechanics. That single change turns him from “interesting size + passing” into a spacing creator NBA teams build around.
• Improve scoring efficiency, especially away from the rim. Last year he finished well at the basket but struggled on other twos. Tighter shot selection, a more reliable midrange pull-up, and better free-throw shooting (67%) would raise his true shooting and prove he can create against set NBA defenses.
• Add strength and on-ball defensive consistency. A stronger frame helps him finish through contact and hold up as a point-of-attack defender. More steals, fewer lapses, and reliable switching would sell teams on two-way versatility rather than just offensive feel.
• Produce as a lead or co-lead creator in a better ecosystem. A leap in usage efficiency, assist rate, and winning impact at UNC—especially in big ACC and NCAA Tournament games—would show the “Luka-lite” flashes are sustainable, not just occasional.
• Stay healthy and dominate film in the pre-draft process. Combine measurements already show the size; elite agility testing, shooting workouts, and interviews that confirm competitiveness would close the gap between current mid-first/second-round projections and lottery (or top-5) belief.

If the shot and scoring answers arrive this season, the 6’9” playmaking package is rare enough to force teams into the top of the draft. If they don’t, he remains a fascinating but capped prospect.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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