The Pelican’s Eye View is featuring a player a day on the Pelican Player Profile. This series is introducing Pelicans or general basketball fans to the teams 2017 players & staff overall.
The Pelican Player Profile discusses player history, stats & current projections for the upcoming season while granting a familiarity with the pro.
Here’s tonight’s PPP: ALEXIS AJINCA (#42) Height: 7-2 Weight: 250 lbs
Alexis Ajinca is a 7 year NBA journeyman center who was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in first round (pick 20) back on 2008. The France born center spent his 1st couple of years in Charlotte bouncing back and forth in the NBA D-League playing a total of 37 games in actual NBA play. In July of 2010, Ajinça was traded to the Dallas Mavericks along with Tyson Chandler for Erick Dampier, Matt Carroll, Ed Nejera’ and cash.
Alexis played a total of 10 games with 2 starts before he was again traded to the Toronto Raptors in January of 2011. He played just 24 games north of the border averaging 4.8 ppg before leaving to play 2 years overseas for Paris-Levallois, Hyeres-Toulon & Strasbourg.
On February of 2013 Ajinca inked a 2 year $1.6 million prove it deal with the New Orleans Pelicans and had his best averages at the time. The Pelican big man played well enough to earn a second contract for 4 years at $20.2 million with yearly average of $5 million. The Pelican reserve center has averaged career best in 4 years for New Orleans with 6.o ppg & 4.7 rebs obviously finding a home in The Big Easy.
The outlook for Alexis Ajinca is very simple. He is the best center off the bench but due to the fact Omer Asik most likely can’t be moved & Ajinca contract is trade-able he his mostly a subject of trade. GM Dell Demps definitely will include Alexis Ajinca & Etwaun Moore in any future trades. It’s too bad because Ajinca has found his game in a Pelican uniform hopefully the Pells can move Asik & keep double AA in The Big Easy.
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