New Orleans Pelicans By the Numbers: Number 9
One of the defining traits of almost every number issued in New Orleans Pelicans franchise history is that it was only worn for one or two seasons, partially because the team hasn’t been in New Orleans long enough to have a jersey with an extended run and partially because the team has a habit of signing older players at the end of their careers or moving on from young players quickly if things aren’t working out. That trait continues with the number nine which has been worn by three different players in New Orleans history for a grand total of just seven seasons.
The First to Wear #9: George Lynch, 2002-2005
The Most Recent to Wear #9: Darius Songaila, 2009-2010
The Person to Wear #9 in Between: Morris Peterson, 2007-2009
Like many numbers in franchise history the number 9 was worn for the first time by a veteran on one of the final stops of his NBA career when George Lynch was issued the uniform when he arrived for the 200-2003 season. Lynch played three seasons off the bench in the 9 jersey and never really stood out, posting a New Orleans high of 28.1 minutes per game in 2003-2004, and a high in points of 4.8 in that same season.
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After Lynch spent his three seasons in the number 9 jersey he retired and a season later Morris Peterson took his three season turn in the jersey as an often injured shooter for the Hornets. Peterson’s best season in the nine came in his first in New Orleans when he played in 76 games and knocked down 39.4 percent of his threes alongside Chris Paul. But injuries claimed the rest of Peterson’s productiveness in New Orleans causing him to miss 39 games in the 2008-2009 season. Peterson attempted a number change in 2009-2010 to 24 but things remained the same as he missed 36 games in his last season in New Orleans.
Peterson’s move to the 24 opened up the number 9 for free agent acquisition Darius Songaila, the last player to wear number 9. Songaila played in 75 games in the 2009-2010 season and averaged 7.2 points and 3.1 assists before moving on to Philadelphia for the final 10 games of his NBA career in 2010-2011.
More than any other number in New Orleans history number 9 has been given to the random veteran brought in at the end of his career to try to push the team over the top. None of the players were successful in doing so though and after a few seasons of action for the Hornets moved towards the end of their career. In fact even the number 9 seems to have moved to the end of its career in New Orleans as only four numbers in franchise history have been empty for as long as the 9, neaing it will be a tall task to turn the fortunes of the number around for whoever becomes the first number 9 in Pelicans blue and gold.