New Orleans Pelicans: Draft Lottery roundtable

Question 5: Is there room on this team for rookies? As in, can the front office cut its losses, move on from the older guys, and let the youngsters develop?

Stone: Is there room? Absolutely. This team has the capability to cut their deep bench guys such as James Ennis, Jordan Hamilton, Toney Douglas and Luke Babbitt in exchange for youngsters who can actually develop into better players. There’s no question about that. It’s if the front office will actually learn from their mistakes and move on to younger players. The Pelicans have at max picks that can be on this roster next year. More than likely, there will be at least two or three that pan out enough to make the team. It will come down to Dell Demps (or whoever is the GM at the time) and the team to admit their mistakes and decide to use their picks on potential players to fill out the future of the team. Will they do it? Who knows. But it would be the right decision to give youngsters a chance after this past season’s disastrous campaign.

Kleen: I agree with Rick here in that I wholeheartedly think the team should cut bait on most of the bottom of the roster. Ennis, Hamilton and Douglas were fun, but have no place in New Orleans long term. Alexis Ajinca, Alonzo Gee, Babbitt and Cunningham are under contract for next season and so should probably stay rather than eat cap money. But I have no problem burying unworthy vets in favor of exceptional rookies. Now, the team just needs to land the rookies that actually will be exceptional.  

Ellis:  We really don’t have a lot of experience with rookies as Pelicans fans so it’s hard to answer.  If the Pelicans make three solid picks, they won’t be missing much by letting the Douglas’, Gee’s, and Babbits of the world go wayside.  These players were all left on the side of the road by other NBA franchises, and it’s hard to believe there’s not meaningful talent available in the draft that can be developed in their place.  The Pelicans are in a pretty good spot for a soft rebuild.  There are a lot of teams in the NBA with the motivation and the resources to trade up with the Pels.  Depending on how the Pels handle the next six weeks, we may see more young faces around Airline Highway than we think. 

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Callais: Dell Demps has many faults as a GM, but he has proven he can learn from his own mistakes. He traded away Darren Collison for Trevor Ariza, and promptly dumped Ariza when it became clear he wasn’t the answer at small forward. He traded away Quincy Pondexter only to bring him back a few seasons later. And while there are some older guys who clearly do not fit Gentry’s system, it is entirely within the realm of possibility that Demps finds a way to replace those guys with higher-IQ young talent. Demps has proven savvy at pulling quality guys out the D-league, and that trend will likely continue into next season. The true cuts likely need to be made to the medical staff, and that decision appears to be above Demps’ pay grade. (editor’s note: ZING!)

LaRocca: A thousand times yes. Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Kendrick Perkins, Toney Douglas, Norris Cole. Those are guys I fully expect to be gone this offseason which will open up the door completley for a rookie to come in and make the roster. The Pelicans have been relecutant to be patient on young talent in the past but with the lack of youth on the current roster I will be extremely suprised if the rookies are not at least given a chance to battle guys like Tim Frazier and James Ennis for roster spots. The older veterans on this team are who they are at this stage of their career. Most of them are very reliant on a single skill and lack the versatilty to be a useful player in all situations.

Next: Three teams who could trade for Tyreke Evans

Heck: It largely depends on the position. At the point guard position, the players seem to be firmly in place, and considering Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans are two of the three most talented players on the roster, I think it’s highly unlikely a rookie has any shot at handling the ball with any regularity. At the wing positions, though, a rookie would have great shot at not just playing but starting. With Eric Gordon headed out and no heir apparent on the roster, the shooting guard position is a toss up, and the small forward position is in a similar situation after Quincy Pondexter missed an entire season. Luckily for the Pelicans, a wing should be available at six.