Norris Cole’s top five landing places outside of New Orleans
Former Pelicans guard Norris Cole remains on the free agent market after a busy summer around the league. Where will he end up?
Along with Donatas Motiejunas, J.R. Smith, and perhaps Josh Smith, Norris Cole remains one of the most intriguing free agents available this summer. Not because of a tantalizing package of skills or really any relevant on-court value; honestly, Cole hasn’t ever been valuable. In Miami, he earned the praise of Heat fans because he injected life into an occasionally stagnant rotation outside of the Big Three and because he was more fun than Mario Chalmers. In New Orleans, he has been a stable force behind an inconsistent and rarely healthy backcourt, providing burst after burst from the bench.
Yet neither team has seen his play rise to expected or even acceptable efficiency on the offensive or defensive end. His Offensive and Defensive Box Plus-Minus have stayed deep in the negative, while his PER is a ghastly 11.5 in New Orleans. Last season, his True Shooting percentage fell to an abominable 46.5, the worst mark since his rookie year.
Somehow, he got a rookie contract’s worth of tries, yet it now seems the league has taken the scouting report it used to strip Cole of his value and emailed it over to their player development staffs, who have in turn declined to sign him. It seems that unless Cole can work hard and nail the opportunity he’s bound to get this season, his career might be destined for pro basketball outside the US or frequent trips between the D-League and the NBA. Most players who choose the second route spend the entire calendar year staying in shape, working hard, and waiting for the big call. With that being said, here are the four teams Cole could end up with for one reason or another.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The connections here are obvious- Cole was a key part of LeBron’s back-to-back Finals battles against the Spurs in 2013 and 2014. He fits what any LBJ team is going to try and do, as he is able to shoot off the catch (38.4% on those looks in 2015-16) and excels in fast-paced offensive possessions. He has the appearance and guile of a good on-ball defender (which the Cavs could use behind Kyrie after Matthew Dellavedova’s departure), but lacks the physical ability to make that happen consistently.
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Of course, the Cavs need help in the backcourt, with Mo Williams’s age still a big factor and Kay Felder’s inexperience and lack of size lingering as possible problems. Having Cole at the end of the bench as a buoy capable of righting the ship in a pinch would be valuable for the defending champs. He would be a luxury on the veteran minimum, and give them needed depth.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies like driving, dishing, and shooting from Mike Conley’s backups. We don’t know what David Fizdale will change in Memphis, but Conley’s style lends itself to a Norris Cole-style backup. Cole would be able to run things for a few minutes per games early in the season as Wade Baldwin rounds into shape and the other guys vie for time.
He wouldn’t be needed after the guys behind Conley separate themselves as individuals and show their value, but a partially-guaranteed deal to throw his veteran leadership around would be worth the work. There are worse players to have around; insofar as “knowing how to win” is a legitimate NBA skill, Norris Cole has it. He has been part of high-level squads since his rookie season.
Indiana Pacers
Monta Ellis, Jeff Teague, Aaron Brooks; Indiana likes their guards small and multi-talented. Cole fits that bill, as he’s able to shift between guard spots while providing passable shooting, passing, and scoring. Of course, as Indiana tries to shift its focus from suffocating defense to versatile offense, giving an inefficient possession user like Cole heavy minutes actively works against those efforts.
Perhaps time with Nate McMillan is just what Norris needs; a disciplined veteran on the bench who will make Cole work for his minutes and demand all-around solid play from the young guard. And Cole has always loved his lobs; on this team, finishers like Paul George, Jeremy Evans, and the young Alex Poythress linger in the background as potential receivers for those highlight reel oops. I like this match best.
New York Knicks
You really think these guys stay healthy? If you’re looking for a roster that ends up needing back up before the All-Star break, look no further. We’re really okay with the Knicks vying for a return to the playoffs with Derrick Rose, Version 5.0 and Brandon Jennings’ question-mark-as-body? I get that that combo was devastating in 2010, and there’s potential for it to be effective in 2017. Yet these guys could spend a lot more time next to each other on the training table than on the court next year, and Norris Cole stands to benefit.
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He fits the chucking mold of New York’s guard rotation, capable of catapulting or crapping on an offense in a single quarter. Cole can win or lose you games, and with such a high variance in New York this year, Cole will fit right in. For comedy’s sake, this is the pairing I most prefer.