Season Summary
Despite the numbers 1 and 10 overall picks in the draft, the Pelicans (formerly Hornets) had a lackluster season that left a lot to be desired. From a stats ranking perspective, the team wasn’t terrible. However, being 25th in the league in scoring will not help them achieve great heights as a franchise. The team can rebound, as evidenced by their 7th ranked Rebound Rate among all teams. New Orleans ranked 26th in FG% defense, however they ranked 14th in points allowed. This indicates that they aren’t very good at defense, but they play a slower style game. Teams that play slowly will normally have better defensive prowess, which obviously needs to be addressed in the off-season for the birds of the south.
Player Summary
Fear the brow. No, seriously. Fear that unibrow as it appears to be out of control. However, Anthony Davis was much more effective in the post this year than he was with a razor. Davis finished the season with 13.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and a very good 1.75 BPG. That’s .01 BPG ahead of Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol. He was beaten out for Rookie of the Year only due to Damian Lillard’s incredible rookie campaign. Robin Lopez played all 82 games and made a formidable frontcourt pair with the addition of Anthony Davis.
The backcourt is more solidified than people may think. For some reason, Greivis Vasquez is not looked at as having long-term potential. He’s coming off of a surgery from last Friday which will sideline him for 12 to 16 weeks most likely, but that’s a bit harsh to say about a guy who was THIRD in the league behind only Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul (two likely Hall of Fame point guards) in his third year in the league. He ranked ahead of fringe All-Star Jrue Holiday, as well as perennial All-Stars Deron Williams, and Tony Parker. He also ranked 9th in the league, 1 spot ahead of Rondo, in Assist to Turnover Ratio. His backcourt mate, Eric Gordon, is also a pretty decent player to say the least. Gordon finished 6th in scoring among all SGs during the season, and he was only able to play 42 games this year. With a full year, the Pelicans would have been much better in that department most likely. However, his $14 million cap hit this coming year may be a lot for a guy not scoring 20 PPG.
Then there’s Al-Farouq Aminu. This season, he started over twice as many games as he had for the first two years of his career. In his third season out of Wake Forest, he put up 7.3 PPG and 7.7 RPG. The rebounding numbers are nice for a Small Forward, but his scoring is obviously an issue. The logical choice going forward would be to have Aminu be a backup SF and PF. With his 6’9″ frame, he’s more than serviceable as a versatile 6th man off the bench. He is a free agent this year, so staying on the team isn’t guaranteed.
Speaking of the bench, Ryan Anderson averaged 16.2 PPG and 6.4 RPG while shooting 38% from behind the arc. These are great numbers for a bench player, but Anderson’s contract of over $8 milllion per year warrants the high level of play. They have some decent assets such as Austin Rivers, Brian Roberts, and Jason Smith, however these assets aren’t high profile, nor do they have the potential to pan out (except for Rivers possibly).
Team Needs
Small Forward, scoring, and defense
Draft Plan
Wow, this one may be the easiest point in this whole article. If the chips fall correctly, Shabazz Muhammad should still be available when the 6th pick arrives. Pair his elite scoring ability with that of Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis, and the Pelicans could be looking at a much more successful offensive game. His defensive abilities leave a lot to be desired, however he has good size and strength to build a defensive game around if a coach is willing to work with him. The Pelicans will need to make this pick count as they do not own a 2nd round pick currently.
Free Agency Plan
The Pelicans won’t have a ton of money to work with, so they’ll have to fly under the radar in Free Agency most likely. Assuming the salary cap is around 58 or 59 million, the Pelicans will probably have around $15 or $16 million to spend. A few possible options could be Andre Iguodala (if Muhammad isn’t their guy in the draft) or Corey Brewer/Nate Robinson for backup depth. A big time splash that could happen is Nikola Pekovic, assuming he’s not re-signed by the Timberwolves (I expect him to re-sign). If Muhammad is drafted, they will most likely just need to sign depth this year. Robin Lopez can be good enough to make that a starting lineup that could contend for a playoff spot this year or next as long as their bench is improved.
Outlook
With the emergence of Greivis Vasquez (2nd in Most Improved Player votes) and the expected post play of Anthony Davis, the Pelicans have some pieces to build around finally. Eric Gordon can, and should, be their shooter for the near future. The Pelicans play in one of the toughest, if not the single toughest, division in basketball, with the Rockets, Spurs, and Grizzlies all making the playoffs this year (two of which are in the Conference Semifinals), and the Mavericks being one or two players away from making it. This is a team in the midst of a rebuild, so their road to the playoffs will most likely take a while. With a few more good draft picks and development of their current lineup, they can become a playoff contender. However, Davis may have to become the superstar that he showed he was in college in order for this to happen.
By Jon Elliott
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