NBA 18-Day Warning. Here Come the PELICANS

quote:

---

A few important notes before we get started:

1. I promise to never write a story about the New Orleans Pelicans that doesn't lead with a photo of an actual pelican.

2. That Evil Pelican up there could be a fixture on Grantland all year long ...

3. ... because we're going to be talking about the Pelicans a lot. Because look at this team.

...But I'm telling you, get onboard while there's still time. Because nobody was wrong about Anthony Davis, because the Pelicans did the smartest thing possible after lucking into him. Instead of wasting another year tanking, New Orleans surrounded him with a cast of guys who weren't quite good enough to carry teams on their own, but might be underrated in situations where they don't have to do it all themselves.

Remember how much better the T-Wolves got when they added Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell that one year? That could be the Pelicans over the next few seasons. The help Davis has now is already better than what, say, Kevin Durant will be stuck with for the first two months in Oklahoma City this year. And as things evolve this season and beyond, playing with Davis should make his supporting cast look better.

---