Pelica Debrief
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New Orleans Pelicans Roundtable: Offseason Questions

By Rick Stone

Mar 21, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward DeMarcus Cousins (0) and forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first quarter of a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward DeMarcus Cousins (0) and forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first quarter of a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 9, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New Orleans Pelicans small forward Solomon Hill (44) and New York Knicks point guard Brandon Jennings (3) chase a ball out of bounds during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New Orleans Pelicans small forward Solomon Hill (44) and New York Knicks point guard Brandon Jennings (3) chase a ball out of bounds during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

2) Now time to look at the other side. What has been the biggest disappointment of this Pelicans’ season?

Rick Stone:

All of me wants to say Buddy Hield leaving, since I got his jersey in the previous offseason. However, it’s Solomon Hill. The massive contract Hill got had expectations of him being the scoring threat Anthony Davis desperately needed. Instead, he averaged seven points a game this season.

That’s not enough. At all. On the current roster of players, that seventh best. For a guy who was given a chance to expand his game, there is really nothing that can be said that has seen drastic improvements from Indiana. If New Orleans wants their playoff chances next year to have life, Hill has to revive his hype and be massive next year.

Preston Ellis:  

The play of Solomon Hill. The Pelicans compounded the albatross that is Omer Asik’s contract with another unsavory, long term deal. It is clear to every Pelicans’ fan that Solomon Hill contributes nothing offensively. After all, he is not asked to.  The most points he’s averaged in a month this season is 8.4 (March), and that on 38 percent from the field.

However, what Pelicans’ fans don’t know is that his defense has been far from the “shut down” level that the Pelicans’ brass hoped for. The Pelicans are only one point better defensively with him on the floor. One. That does not, $12 million a year make.

Wilton Jackson:

Beyond Solomon Hill’s lack of play, one has to think the biggest disappointment (before the arrival of DeMarcus Cousins) for the Pelicans was their perimeter scoring in Galloway, Hield and Tyreke Evans. Obviously, you have to let go of parts to get better pieces that best fit the interest of the team. However, if the Pelicans could have found a way to keep at least one of the three players to play along with Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis and Boogie, things could have been a little better or at least more stable and consistent from an offensive standpoint.

Tyler Pearson:

The biggest disappointment thus far is still not making the playoffs. Trading for DeMarcus Cousins moved the needle of this team to be contenders for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, it did not happen this year. Hopefully, with majority of the core intact for this upcoming season, New Orleans will be in playoff contention.

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