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FWIW Kevin Pelton Discusses Pelicans Reload this Offseason
Posted on 4/26/15 at 11:52 am
Posted on 4/26/15 at 11:52 am
Inside article, but the gist:
Assuming that guard Eric Gordon opts into the final season of his contract, which will pay him $15.5 million, New Orleans will bring back the six players who played the most minutes per game for the team last season. Naturally, the centerpiece is Anthony Davis, who emerged as an MVP candidate at age 22. Davis grows by the day, and the Pelicans will surely offer him a maximum five-year contract extension as soon as they can on July 1.
Gordon made his player option something more than a no-brainer by playing well in the second half of 2014-15 after a disastrous start to the season and a shoulder injury that cost him 21 games. He ended up shooting a career-best 44.8 percent from 3-point range, good for second in the NBA.
Biggest need: Paint defense
Too often, Asik and Davis were out of position to contest shots, which may suggest the problem is at the team level rather than a matter of personnel.
Despite the questions about Asik's season and fit, re-signing him is still probably the Pelicans' best scenario. Even if New Orleans renounced its rights to all other free agents, including Cole (who's restricted), letting Asik go would clear only about $8 million in cap space -- not enough to bring a real upgrade. Using cap space to sign a new center would also force the Pelicans to give up their midlevel exception and settle for the room midlevel, which brought them John Salmons last year.
With the full midlevel, New Orleans could target a couple of depth players like Dorell Wright and Brandon Bass to help survive inevitable injuries and give Williams more options. Better health might be the most ideal scenario for the Pelicans, who lost 10.6 WARP to injuries in 2014-15 after losing a league-high 17.1 WARP in 2013-14.
Assuming that guard Eric Gordon opts into the final season of his contract, which will pay him $15.5 million, New Orleans will bring back the six players who played the most minutes per game for the team last season. Naturally, the centerpiece is Anthony Davis, who emerged as an MVP candidate at age 22. Davis grows by the day, and the Pelicans will surely offer him a maximum five-year contract extension as soon as they can on July 1.
Gordon made his player option something more than a no-brainer by playing well in the second half of 2014-15 after a disastrous start to the season and a shoulder injury that cost him 21 games. He ended up shooting a career-best 44.8 percent from 3-point range, good for second in the NBA.
Biggest need: Paint defense
Too often, Asik and Davis were out of position to contest shots, which may suggest the problem is at the team level rather than a matter of personnel.
Despite the questions about Asik's season and fit, re-signing him is still probably the Pelicans' best scenario. Even if New Orleans renounced its rights to all other free agents, including Cole (who's restricted), letting Asik go would clear only about $8 million in cap space -- not enough to bring a real upgrade. Using cap space to sign a new center would also force the Pelicans to give up their midlevel exception and settle for the room midlevel, which brought them John Salmons last year.
With the full midlevel, New Orleans could target a couple of depth players like Dorell Wright and Brandon Bass to help survive inevitable injuries and give Williams more options. Better health might be the most ideal scenario for the Pelicans, who lost 10.6 WARP to injuries in 2014-15 after losing a league-high 17.1 WARP in 2013-14.
1
Posted on 4/26/15 at 12:01 pm to VOR
bring brandon home
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