Pelica Debrief
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New Orleans Pelicans perception vs. reality: Dante Cunningham

By Nathan Heck

Jan 15, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson (33) celebrates with teammate forward Dante Cunningham (44) after hitting a shot at the buzzer at the end of the third quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Hornets 109-107 Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson (33) celebrates with teammate forward Dante Cunningham (44) after hitting a shot at the buzzer at the end of the third quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Hornets 109-107 Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New Orleans Pelicans came to rely on the durability and effort of Dante Cunningham, but just how good was he this season?

Everyone went and got themselves hurt this season for the New Orleans Pelicans. Well, everyone except Dante Cunningham, who quietly played 80 games during the campaign, the highest mark for the team by a seven game margin. The man with the heart of a lion was one of the few constants in a season that always seemed to be in flux for the Pelicans. Durability, especially on this team, is an attribute and skill unto itself, but many of his other supposed strengths do not seem to be such when looking at the numbers.

By adding a decent look from long range this season, Dante Cunningham persuaded many to adopt the view that he is no longer the massive negative that he once was on that end of the floor. Unfortunately, perception rarely equates to reality, and the truth is that Dante Cunningham is still not a positive offensive player. Per basketball reference, the Pelicans saw their offensive rating drop by 1.7 points per 100 possessions when Cunningham was on the floor.

Cunningham scored well at the basket, finishing with a 70.5 percent scoring mark from zero to three feet for the season, but he struggled to score well from nearly every other range except between 10 and 16 feet, which accounted for less than four percent of his attempts. His three point shot was obviously a positive development, but it would be silly to act like 31.6 percent is some sort of elite, or even average, rate.

Despite struggling to score, Dante Cunningham also acted as a quasi-ball stopper and struggled to create for his teammates. The tweener forward finished with the third lowest assist percentage for the entire Pelicans roster (including the players who are long gone), and he led only Omer Asik and Orlando Johnson in the category. Quite simply, Dante Cunningham does not possess the necessary skills to make a  positive impact on an offense.

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On the other end of the floor, Cunningham has built a reputation as a tenacious defender who seemingly never tires and is capable of limiting even the most dynamic offensive threats, but is that the reality? Per 100 possessions, the New Orleans Pelicans were three points worse with Dante Cunningham on the floor. That surprising statistic is backed up by the player tracking data found at stats.nba.com.

When Cunningham defended shots by opponents this season, the only range from which he held the shooter in question to a below average field goal percentage was from beyond the three point arc. From every other range, including an egregiously poor mark between six feet and the basket, Cunningham allowed the opposing player to shoot the ball at a level that exceeded their average efficiency. Obviously, Cunningham’s effort and hustle provide something on the defensive end, but the effects have been largely exaggerated.

The general statistics do not paint Cunningham in a much more positive light, either. The fan favorite finished with a player efficiency rating of 8.6, per basketball-reference, and that mark is lower than notably poor performers from this season including Norris Cole, Alexis Ajinca and Omer Asik. Per 48 minutes, Cunningham’s win shares were an abysmal .052, a mark that slides him in behind Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca once again. 

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Interestingly, Alonzo Gee, the contributor most fans viewed as a decidedly worse player than Cunningham, posted eerily similar statistics. Gee’s player efficiency rating came in just 0.2 lower than Cunningham’s, and despite Cunningham being much more effective on the offensive end, Gee made a more positive impact on the defensive front to balance the scales.

Per 100 possessions, the Pelicans were 4.8 points better on the defensive end with Alonzo Gee on the floor, a massive improvement over Cunningham’s three point deficit. As a result, Gee finished one spot higher in the win shares per 48 minutes category, and posted a higher overall plus/minus than Cunningham. The only real advantage Cunningham displayed over Gee was his shooting touch.

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All of this isn’t written to discredit Dante Cunningham and what he brings to the New Orleans Pelicans. The team depends on his energy, effort and intensity to provide emotional balance and inspiration, and he has stretches where he is a downright good basketball player. However, the perception exists that Cunningham is something more than a high energy player that should come off the bench, and that is simply not the case.

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