The NBA Finals are already heading into game two, however it’s not too late for the New Orleans Pelicans to take notes on the teams in the championship series.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, the NBA Finals have already begun. The New Orleans Pelicans, unfortunately, are not involved in the festivities.
Still, there’s a lot to look at when watching this exciting battle for a team looking for a fresh start, after what became a painful season.
The obvious watch is the team that knocked New Orleans out of the playoffs just last year: The Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are still great. After finishing the year with the best regular season record in history, Golden State has already taken a 1-0 lead on the Cavaliers. The Warriors can still score anywhere and everywhere, while defending every inch of the court. However, one key to watch that was highlighted in game one was the underrated aspect of their depth.
Golden State’s bench finished game one with 45 points, 43 of those coming from Shaun Livingston, Leandro Barbosa and Andre Iguodala. Those three players finished a combined 18-24 from the field and 3-5 from behind the three-point line. The Warriors have quite the bench unit overall and have used it well to get to the finals once again. So what can the Pelicans learn?
Both Livingston and Barbosa do not make over six million dollars this season. They were undervalued players in the free agency market, found by Golden State to fill the needs at cheaper prices. It’s something the New Orleans Pelicans could use a lot of this free agency. It’s well known the holes on the Pelicans’ roster. Many want them to go after bigger names with high price tags.
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However, it might be a good idea to take a page out of the Warriors handbook and look at value picks after the initial “Free Agency Wave”. Instead of spending a majority of their money on a high prospect small forward like Kent Bazemore, the Pelicans could look for a cheaper, yet still capable value.
Someone along the lines of James Johnson of the Toronto Raptors. That kind of player won’t put up major stats, but it’s these kinds of role players this team could be looking to fill out the roster with. It’s what turns good teams into great teams. The deep bench players that can make a difference when called upon. It’s something guys like Tim Frazier did well late in the year.
The Warriors are not the only team in the NBA Finals. The Eastern Conference’s representative in the championship is the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James. It’s tough to think there’s many similarities New Orleans can use to a team led by one of the greatest players in league history, yet one area stands out. The Cavaliers used LeBron’s success in previous campaigns in Miami to help build this team’s roster. Instead of finding players with the best skill set, they found players that fit the system LeBron was used to running.
The big guy that comes to mind is Channing Frye. Frye did not make a major impact on the Orlando Magic at the beginning of the season, however his trade to Cleveland has slowly, but surely helped turn him into a difference maker. His three-point marksmanship, added to his size, has made him a difficult matchups for teams with how quick and effective drivers LeBron and Kyrie Irving have become.
He’s become the same kind of player for LeBron in stretching the floor that the likes of Chris Bosh and Shane Battier were in James’ title runs with the Heat. Others like Richard Jefferson and Matthew Dellavedova are not greatly skilled players, but they play their role well in the system.
While the New Orleans Pelicans have found good role playing bench vets, they haven’t found ones that have fit the system perfectly. It’s been a weakness of General Manager Dell Demps for some time, since he’s taken the role. It’s a formula that can be repeated in the Pelicans own superstar, Anthony Davis.
When New Orleans looks to replace their wings this free agency, the front office would be smart to look into fit as the number one priority. While an exciting playmaker like Evan Turner seems fun and worthwhile, the fit with the current system is a massive question, especially with how many driving ball-handlers already exist on the team.
Whereas a player who can fill the role nicely as a spot-up marksman like Solomon Hill might be a better option due to his fit. The strengths of Hill fit well with the skills of Davis and Jrue Holiday. Those stars command a good portion of the floor, while Hill only needs certain areas he’s comfortable firing away from. He won’t blow the box score up, but his role could reap the same benefits as the Cavaliers have seen from their bench players.
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Teams that make it as far as the NBA Finals have to be strong in team building and understanding their players. For the past few years, the New Orleans Pelicans have seen one run of hope and many years of painful suffering. To change the tide and get back on the right track to future success, the Pelicans need to look at the best teams in the league and look to replicate the little things first and foremost. Also, championship basketball is just fun to watch.