Who will represent the New Orleans Pelicans at the NBA Draft Lottery?
By Rick Stone
With the NBA Draft Lottery just two days away, an under-the-radar question is who will the New Orleans Pelicans select as their representative.
Attention New Orleans Pelicans fans. The NBA Draft Lottery is fast approaching.
Tuesday night, New Orleans will find out what slot they will be selecting in the upcoming NBA Draft. Right now, the Pelicans have the best odds to get the #6 pick. That could change into a top three pick for the franchise. It could also result in the seventh, eighth or ninth pick, depending on how the lottery balls fall.
It gives the New Orleans Pelicans’ fan base something to anticipate for the first time in a while. Yet, just like everything with the Pelicans in 2016, it comes with front office drama.
There is still no decision on General Manager Dell Demps‘ fate. The team has not announced if he will be back next season or let go from his post. It doesn’t look like that will be decided before the lottery. It also leaves current coach Alvin Gentry in a state of uncertainty, with a history in the NBA of new GM’s dumping the current coach for one of their choice.
It brings up an interesting question….
Who will represent the New Orleans Pelicans at the NBA Draft Lottery?
Each team with odds to get the #1 pick has someone represent the team for the lottery drawing. It’s a tradition in the NBA. And the New Orleans Pelicans will have someone representing them. That decision will definitely lead to speculation no matter the choice, whether the Pelicans want it or not.
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Having Dell Demps or Alvin Gentry there would lead the assumption train to the conclusion that both would be staying put for next season. The NBA Draft is a big deal and teams take the future of their franchise very seriously. The image of that team comes down to who you want representing the Pelicans logo on the big stage. If Demps or Gentry sit in that seat, it sends a big message. They are still part of this franchise.
However, if it’s not Demps or Gentry, then who? In 2012 and 2013, it was former Head Coach Monty Williams. In 2014, it was Dell Demps. The team has had recent history of going with the GM or the coach. Yet this year feels different with the questions surrounding the team. So, who else could it be? The most likely answer might also be the most obvious: Anthony Davis.
One way to give your team good luck is to put the last #1 pick in the seat. The NBA superstar is already the face of the franchise on the court, so the Pelicans would be making a pretty good decision by making him the face in the NBA Lottery. The only other player really conceivable is Jrue Holiday, however that only comes into play if AD can’t make it.
Then there’s the most unpopular option of them all. A Benson or a Loomis. It would not be too surprising, but it would be frustrating. To put it lightly, Tom Benson and Mickey Loomis are not the most popular people in the New Orleans basketball fan base. Their indecision on how to go forward with the team has left many upset and frustrated. Answering zero questions and putting themselves in the spotlight would not be a good look.
However, in a way, is there another reason Benson would put himself in the seat? He did just go through a long legal preceding to keep ownership of the team. It could be a statement to his family by putting him as the face of his team on NBA Draft Lottery night. It still would be quite an unpopular selection, but there is some merit to it.
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The New Orleans Pelicans’ selection for who will represent them in the lottery may not mean anything towards the future. However, it could also give a glimpse into where the minds of Tom Benson and the ownership are at the moment. Tuesday night will be a big night for the future of the New Orleans Pelicans as a whole, and every decision matters going forward. Even the simplest one, like the lottery representation. Let’s hope this time, ownership makes the right call.