There won’t be an overflow of New Orleans Pelicans fans flooding Fulton Square in downtown New Orleans on Tuesday night like they did on NBA draft night seven years ago.

The only people you’ll likely see in the area are just a few tourists strolling through to make their way to Manning’s Sports Bar and Grill or to the slot machines at Caesars casino.

Yeah, draft night 2026 will be a lot different than the one in 2019 when the Pelicans selected Zion Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick. The Pelicans don’t even have a first-round pick in the draft that will begin with the first round on Tuesday and conclude with the second round Wednesday.

But don’t worry, local basketball fans. There are plenty of reasons to tune in. 

Here are five reasons for local fans to watch the draft.

1. Another draft night surprise? 

Joe Dumars, the Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations, said two days after the season ended that the Pelicans could possibly trade back into the first round of the draft. If the Pelicans do that, it means they have identified a player in this strong draft class that they really covet.

The best guess is that it would be a big man, the one position that is the team’s biggest need. Michigan center Aday Mara would be ideal, but he is expected to be a lottery pick. The Pelicans will have to give up a lot to move that high in the draft. One thing we know is that Dumars puts full trust in right-hand man Troy Weaver, the Pelicans senior vice president of basketball operations.

“Troy’s ability to identify talent in this league is elite,” Dumars said last June.

If there is player that Weaver wants, the Pelicans could do whatever it takes to go get him.

2. Moving on

If the Pelicans end up in the first round, it means they are willing to move on from one (or more) of their key pieces. That’s what it’s going to take. While it wouldn’t be a sign of a full rebuild, it would be a continuation of a youth movement that started with last year’s two first-round draft picks: Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.

Before last week, Dumars was getting several inquiries about Trey Murphy and Herb Jones, two staples on the team. But according to sources, what other teams were offering wasn’t enticing the Pels. Perhaps those conversations have picked up over the past few days.

Moving on from a fan favorite such as Murphy or a defensive stopper such as Jones would get a heavy share of criticism, especially in exchange for an unproven draft pick. It would, however, also say the franchise isn’t just running the same team back from a season ago. It’s a risky move, but one to keep an eye on. 

3. Going for an All-Rookie team 3-peat

While Dumars took a lot of heat last year for giving up the 2026 first-round pick to draft Queen, the overall draft was a success.

Fears and Queen both were named to the second team of the All-Rookie Team, showing some promise for the future. The Pelicans also drafted Micah Peavy in the second round and he was a contributor, playing in 61 games with four starts. The year before that, center Yves Missi made the All-Rookie Team. Continuing a run of identifying quality talent is how you build winning teams.

4. Finding a second-round gem

It’s hard to get excited about the 58th overall selection, which is the only pick the Pelicans have in the draft. A late second-round pick may not last past the Summer League roster.

The Pels have hit on second-round draft picks before. In addition to Peavy in 2025, they got Jones early in the second round in 2021. They drafted Karlo Matkovic with the 52nd overall pick a year later. The Pels have also found some undrafted free agent gems such as Jose Alvarado and Naji Marshall. So it’s possible to find some talent late in the draft.

The Pels hosted the following players for workouts last week, according to a report by The Athletic: Maliq Brown (Duke), Malik Dia (Ole Miss), Xavian Lee (Florida), JJ Starling (Syracuse) and Peter Suder (Miami (Ohio)). A local player, former Carver standout Solomon Washington (Maryland), also had a workout with the team.

5. Other local players

Two players who played their high school ball in the greater New Orleans are expected to hear their names called.

Chris Cenac, a 6-foot-11 forward, played two seasons at Newman in Uptown New Orleans. The LaPlace native finished his career at Link Academy in Missouri before playing one season at the University of Houston. He led Houston with 7.9 rebounds per game and helped the Cougars reach the Sweet 16.

Two years ago, Allen Graves was finishing up his high school career at Ponchatoula High School on his way to being named Louisiana’s Mr. Basketball. After redshirting his first season at Santa Clara, he averaged 11.8 points per game and was named both Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year in the West Coast Conference. Both Cenac and Graves are expected to go in the first round. Tuesday’s biggest storyline, though, is seeing if the Pelicans will be in the first round, too.