New Orleans Pelicans: Langston Galloway fits the mold
By Nathan Heck
The New Orleans Pelicans have had two clear goals this offseason, and the team has done everything it can to accomplish them. The addition of Langston Galloway only moves the needle even further.
The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed with Langston Galloway, the Baton Rouge native with two years of NBA experience under his belt, to a two-year deal valued at 10 million dollars. During his two seasons with the New York Knicks, Galloway displayed the two things the New Orleans Pelicans desperately desire, the skill to shoot and the effort to defend.
It is no secret to anyone involved in covering the NBA; the New Orleans Pelicans are desperately trying to move on from their previous core that was built around offense-first players. The exodus of Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon goes a long way to extinguishing that culture, but the team also needed to bring in talent that would fit the new mold. So far, they have succeeded in that regard.
Solomon Hill and E’Twaun Moore (read up on Hill here and Moore here) are both capable shooters and defenders, and the new core group is taking shape nicely. Langston Galloway is the next piece of the puzzle. Like Moore, Galloway is a combo guard that can fill either position in the backcourt, giving the New Orleans Pelicans versatility on both offense and defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, Galloway is a passable shooter, and he has filled it up from deep at a 34.8 percent rate, per basketball-reference.com. That number is certainly not elite, but it is adequate enough to demand attention on the perimeter. In addition to his shooting, Galloway is a decent passer, and he has averaged a 16.5 percent assist percentage throughout his career thus far.
Galloway has shown a flair for theatrics on the offensive side of the ball during his time in New York, and that is sure to excite Pelicans fans. Watch here as Galloway simply embarrasses Reggie Jackson.
In this clip, Galloway makes an energizing play that would make Anthony Davis proud.
Galloway’s strengths really reside on the defensive end, though. His bulky frame prevents him from being bullied by bigger guards, and it grants him the ability to switch on a bigger man without getting abused. Couple his frame with his substantial wingspan (6’8″), and Galloway has already used his physical gifts to become an above average defender.
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The most enticing aspect of Galloway’s defense, though, is the room for improvement. In his first season in the NBA, the St. Joseph’s product posted a -1.1 defensive box plus/minus mark. That number saw noticeable improvement in his second season, and he finished with a +.1 defensive box plus/minus. Galloway would have had the fourth highest mark for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, trailing only Kendrick Perkins, Alonzo Gee and Anthony Davis.
Surrounded by a more capable defensive core, it is not unreasonable to expect Galloway to see even more improvement during the 2016-17 season. Darren Erman is a noted defensive mind, and he could help Galloway get the absolute most out of his tremendous physical advantages.
Rebounding is a skill often overlooked when analyzing guards, but the ability to grab misses is valuable to a basketball team, regardless of the height of the player snagging them. Averaging three and half rebounds per contest, Galloway has used his size and instincts effectively to limit the second chance opportunities of the opposition.
The New Orleans Pelicans have clearly been trying to add defense and shooting to the roster this offseason. Langston Galloway, Solomon Hill and E’Twaun Moore are all versatile two-way players, and the entire complexion of the roster has seemingly been changed overnight. No matter what, the fans can count on one thing: this coming season will not look like the last.