New Orleans Pelicans Player of the Week: E’Twaun Moore

The New Orleans Pelicans signing of E’Twaun Moore in the off-season was low-key, but he’s having a very big impact on the present and maybe the future.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been in a slide as of late. Having lost three in a row, they find themselves inching closer and closer away from the playoff picture. The month of January was definitely a rough spot for the team, as they finished 6-10 in the month. Despite the disappointing results in the win column, their were a few bright spots for the team. This all leads to introducing the next Player of the Week: E’Twaun Moore.

Moore certainly struggled at the start of the season. He was inconsistent with his shot and surprisingly did not look like a natural fit into the offense. However, now that Moore has found the shooting touch, the signing has gone from a question mark to a potential steal.

What value does E’Twaun Moore bring? 

In a league where every team is searching for a “3 and D” player, Moore fits the bill. His advanced defensive metrics don’t really do him justice though, as his defensive rating is still at 106 and ranks 69th in DRPM. It’s one of those baffling statistics, because when watching Moore play, he typically passes the eye test. Moore displays great defensive instincts both on and off the ball, and is capable of guarding three different positions. His defensive versatility is something the Pelicans utilize quite frequently in their switching-based system.

Moore is guarding the best player in the world, LeBron James one on one in the post. AND BLOCKS HIM. This is something he does quite regularly, due to have a strong lower base and excellent timing. Having players such as Moore make it easier for the Pelicans to implore three guard lineups, because they do not have to worry about Moore getting killed, if there is a switch.

This clip is of Moore simply playing the passing lanes and baiting Manu Ginobili into a bad pass. He shades over, as if he is going to guard Patty Mills, and immediately recognizes Kawhi Leonard spacing towards the three point line. Moore closes down the space quickly and forces the turnover.

In this clip E’Twaun Moore forces a turnover just by having his hands up on the close-out. It’s a simple thing that goes a long way.

Moore passes the eye-test portion of defense, but why haven’t his metrics validated the eyes?

When measuring defenses, there are a number of factors to consider. For example the two lineups Moore has played the most with feature two players who are not even in the rotation right now (Omer Asik and Tim Frazier). This is not to absolve blame from Moore, but rather to point out the Pelicans have not had much continunity among lineups. Fast forward to currently, the lineup that Moore is being used with consists of Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, Terrence Jones and Dante Cunningham. Unsurprisingly that lineup is posting a defensive rating of 109.5.

The point of this is not to make E’Twaun Moore sound like Tony Allen on defense, not at all. But he is more than passable and can fit into nearly any lineup and help any unit. The three-point percentage is the next look for Moore.

THE 40%er 

E’Twaun Moore has been as good as advertised from behind the arc. Moore is shooting 40 percent on threes this year, after getting off to a rocky start. He’s the Pelicans most consistent three-point threat and has been shooting lights out as of late.

Here is one of Moore’s four 4th quarter threes. I chose this one to showcase the range that Moore’s spacing provides the Pelicans. His ability to hit deep threes makes it easier for him to get open space behind the arc. That is a big plus, because he doesn’t have the quickest release, which makes it easier for teams to close out on him. But when Moore’s been open, the shots have been falling. Moore is shooting 40 percent on open threes and 52 percent on wide open threes, as he continues to emerge as a marksman.

Moore though is not just a stand-still shooter. He has the ability to create off-the-dribble and uses an in-between game, to get off floaters and turn-around jump-shots.

Going Forward

Although this season has not gone the way the New Orleans Pelicans envisioned, they can look back at the off-season and feel happy about the signing of Moore. He’s a player that has added versatility on both sides of the floor. This makes him an easy choice to keep around long-term. The fact that he is on a good contract only makes it better. Moore is a solid player, if the Pelicans choose to keep him, and he may become a valuable trade piece down the road.

Next: New Orleans Pelicans' Anthony Davis Competing in the NBA Skills Challenge

While this season may be not what the Pelicans expected, fans can rejoice in the finding of a long-term piece. Moore’s name may not be big, but his impact very well could be.