Wings of a Feather

After a 3-0 start, the New Orleans Pelicans have announced their intentions for the season. No longer will there be a period of adjustment and any excuses of roster turnover will now ring hollow. There will be worries about the wing depth all season long.

Wing has been a reported weakness for this edition of the New Orleans Pelicans. The fearsome frontcourt rotation of Anthony Davis, Nikola Mirotic, and Julius Randle pairs well with Elfrid Payton and Jrue Holiday. However, those five cannot play long minutes together. The Pelicans need a wing to separate from the spare parts reserve unit that currently exists.

E’Twaun Moore helps on the wings, but lacks the size to really bother the upper echelon wing players that the Pelicans need to guard in the playoffs. Jrue Holiday did his best against Kevin Durant last year, but the effort was all for naught. Paul George and Oklahoma City would prove a tough match-up for any present Pelican wings.

A bit more size will be required than Moore can provide. While Moore has quietly been the steadiest contributor to the teams’ success, he just cannot make enough defensive noise on elite wings.  He can score just enough to mitigate being miscast on defense occasionally. His double-digit efforts in last years playoffs is exactly the consistent performance this team needs from the middle of the rotation.

Moore can get buckets and provide solid minutes of  serviceable defense. However, to make the leap into the Finals the Pelicans may need a more defensive wing for spells against top talent. Moore is sufficient as a starter against all but the top seeds, so he should get the bulk of the minutes at least until the All Star Game. Reserve unit pairings should feature Moore, but the Pelicans need a pair on the other side that can shoot and play defense.

Solomon Hill was great a couple years ago, but that does not help the team any this season. As an elite 3 and D wing, Hill has all the measurables. Hill has not had any luck with injuries though, and being rushed back last year did not help. His confidence and trade value plummeted.

In order to recoup any opportunity cost and get out value from Hill’s contract, Hill must play more than a handful of minutes. If Hill contributes, the Pelicans will likely find a suitor. However, if he is doing well, why trade him?

There are not many wings on the market that would be an upgrade over a fully healthy and in form Solomon Hill. If two wings could be packaged, then possible the Pelicans could find a game changer.

Hill has played 12, 20 and 23 minutes in the first three games.  He still looks a bit tentative in his lateral movement and in his shooting rhythm. In 55 minutes he has only taken 9 shots, making 3, to go along with 6 rebounds. He does have 5 assists and managed 4 steals against the Clippers.

Hill is getting paid like a starter, he needs to play like at least a passble great 6th or 7th man in the rotation. Gentry can shuffle his starting lineups knowing there is a whole game to make a small comeback. Gentry cannot afford to wait until after the trade deadline to find a wing pairing that works.

Hill is the Pelicans version of Andre Robeson at the moment. If Hill can find his way to a 35% clip from three-point range, the Pelicans have an asset. If not, Gentry has 13 million invested in a player that cannot give 13 quality minutes.

Hill’s eFG and FG% at the rim would need to practically double for his contract to be equal to his production. If Hill cannot outplay Moore for the starting spot at small forward, Hill has to be shipped out in a trade.

Darius Miller has more size than Moore and a better offensive game than Hill. Miller’s value to the Pelicans comes as a second unit scorer though, not as a defensive spacer. While Miller and Moore will spell each other, both will get playing time with Davis and Holiday.

Unless a great wing becomes attainable, Miller should get comfortable in New Orleans and as the second man off the bench, behind Randle or Mirotic. Moving Miller into the starting lineup solves nothing but creates a problem with the second unit.

Frank Jackson and Wesley Johnson have the potential, but potential has no place in a playoff series. Chieck Diallo, Julius Randle or Nikola Mirotic could try to play spot minutes and provide a variety of looks to keep teams off balance, but teams in the Finals conversation figure out gimmicks quickly.

Diallo, Randle, or Mirotic will get a chance to guard a variety of wing and stretch 4 types this weekend. With DeMarre Carrol out, the Nets will rotate Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Caris Levert. The Pelicans should be able to control the paint and the game against Brooklyn.

Games against the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets will be far more troublesome. Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors,Joe Ingles and Jae Crowder will be a playoff worth frontcourt battle, and the Pelicans face the Jazz on the second night of a back-to-back.

Facing the Nuggets on Monday will conclude the toughest 3 games in 4 nights stretch to date. Nickola Jokic and Paul Millsap both have all star caliber talent, and are capable of controlling games.

The Pelicans have started wonderfully, but will only be able to ride good vibes for so long. The dog days of the NBA winter and playoff intensity ask questions of every team.

The only pressing question right now is do the Pelicans have the time and quality to develop a wing or will Dell Demps and Alvin Gentry have to get creative with minutes for window dressing? It’s best for team chemistry to have some continuity.

However, if the team is stalling out due to lack of quality wing minutes, Demps will have to trade for another new puzzle piece to the Pelicans season.  Right now all he has to trade is future assets and busted wings. The middle of the roster needs that one piece mended for any realistic chance of knocking off the Warriors.