As the most frantic NBA free agency periods in years wraps up, only a handful of teams look largely the same as they did last season. One of the few franchises that decided to bet on continuity was the New Orleans Pelicans, who are bringing back their 10 most-used players from last season.
3 reasons the Pelicans will be better without making any big roster moves
The Pelicans will bring back the same team that barely made the playoffs last season, but we think they’ll be much better anyway. Here’s why.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
That core claimed the No. 8 seed on the last day of the regular season, but in many ways, they were the epitome of mediocrity. They finished 15th in the league in net rating, made the postseason only because of Oklahoma City’s injuries and were promptly swept by the Warriors. Typically that’s not the type of team that should stand pat in free agency.
But the Pelicans have three reasons to believe they can take a big step forward next year anyway.
1. Alvin Gentry is a coaching upgrade
The big signing for the Pelicans came on the sidelines, where former Warriors assistant coach Alvin Gentry will take over for Monty Williams. Not only did the team got a superior head coach, but they also upgraded in the assistant positions, with respected defensive specialist David Erman as the headliner.
As head coach of the Suns, Gentry led his team to the Western Conference Finals once and finished in the top 10 in offensive efficiency in each of his three seasons. As the lead assistant for the title-winning 2014-15 Warriors, Gentry pushed a stagnant offense that ranked 12th the previous season to new heights. The Mike D'Antoni disciple will almost certainly improve the Pelicans' ninth-place finish in offensive efficiency last season. A bounce back year for sharpshooter Ryan Anderson in particular will be in the cards, given Channing Frye's success in a similar role under Gentry in Phoenix.
Gentry is less known for his defensive acumen, but after a stint as assistant with the league-best Warriors and with Erman flanking him, he should be able to improve the Pelicans from their 23rd ranking last season. With Anthony Davis and Omer Asik anchoring the paint and Jrue Holiday hounding opposing point guards, the personnel is certainly there to get better. All that's needed is a cohesive strategy, something Gentry and Erman can provide.
2. Anthony Davis really can get even better
Anthony Davis was an MVP candidate last season despite being constricted by Williams’ slow-paced system. He will be even better under Gentry.
"I definitely love his playing style," Davis told ESPN.
It’s not hard to see why. Davis is one of the quickest and most athletic big men in the league, as he led all players in points per possession in transition last season (min. 100 possessions) according to Synergy Sports numbers. He’s built to run and will get to do just that now that Gentry is calling the shots.
Gentry also wants Davis, already a proficient mid-range shooter, to expand his range to the three-point line.
“That’s got to become a consistent shot for him,” Gentry told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I don’t think he’s going to have any problem doing it. If you go back and look at his high school days, he was a very good 3-point shooter. But all of sudden he decided to grow six or eight inches. He still has that range, but I don’t think it has been incorporated in the offense in college or the pros that he’s been in. We want him to shoot that shot. So I think you probably see him make more 3s than he’s made his entire career.”
Davis was a terror offensively last season, averaging over 24 points on 53 percent shooting. That’s despite taking more shots from the mid-range area than at the rim.
If he can trade some of those long two-pointers for fast-break opportunities and threes, he will become an even deadlier offensive weapon.
3. They won’t be decimated by injuries
In many ways, it's impressive the Pelicans were even a 45-win team given their health issues. The projected starting lineup of Holiday, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, Davis and Asik outscored opponents by over 11 points per 100 possessions, a monster mark.
Yet it was only deployed for 150 minutes because players couldn’t stay healthy. Holiday missed 42 games, Gordon 21 and Davis 14. Anderson, the ace sixth man, missed 21 games and played through a back issue all season. The Pelicans used 17 different starting lineups last season and none for more than 19 games. Holiday’s leg injury could be chronic, but the others simply were bad luck.
Considering they lacked depth before the midseason acquisitions of Cunningham, Norris Cole and Quincy Pondexter, the Pelicans had to stretch marginal players beyond their means. That inability to develop chemistry wasn’t as damning on offense, but it surely affected their potential on the defensive end.
“We know that guys were hurt and we could be way better than we were last year, and that’s the scary thing about our team,” Davis said.
He’s absolutely right. If they manage to stay healthy, the Pelicans could win 50 games next season despite returning essentially the same rotation.
See More:
