David Griffin could decide on a total rebuild of the New Orleans Pelicans roster. For the first time in franchise history, the team might not have an established star. How might that affect the teams’ perception?
The NBA moved the Hornets, now New Orleans Pelicans, in 2002. I was ecstatic. Having just graduated from high school, I’d have a local team to cheer for when college level discretionary income allowed for me to attend a game or buy a new jersey. (Still waiting on some Jrue Holiday options, if you’ve got time to fix that David Griffin. I’d appreciate it. Christmas version blue Pelicans script on white. Obliged.)
The best part about the new team in the Crescent City was the imported roster had playoff potential and recognizable stars. Baron Davis was hampered, but respected. Jamal Mashburn turned his career year into an All-Star selection. David Wesley, Jamaal Magloire, PJ Brown, Stacey Augmon, and Kenny Anderson rounded out the rotational core.
A team battling injuries was unable to topple the Philadelphia 76ers in the postseason. Even with Mashburn and Davis at less that full fitness, New Orleans forced a sixth game. Allen Iverson went supernova, scoring 45 in a four point Hornets loss. Paul Silas was fired, though the team showed promise.
Injuries and a coach fired after making the playoffs. The ails of the franchise began in the inaugural season.
The second season was again marred by injuries to Mashburn, though Davis and Magloire stepped up and made the All-Star team. The Tim Floyd coached squad made the playoffs as the fifth seed in their final season as an Eastern Conference team. A Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat in the first round cost Tim Floyd his job after one season.
Again, another season of “if only” the team’s star group could have had a full season. And again, another coaching search for a team in limbo took place. A healthy Mashburn would have meant a second round series against the Indiana Pacers, who lost to the eventual NBA Champs Detroit Pistons, the most underdog champion of the past decade. Again, with a healthy star and a little luck, what could have been?
The third season was not a charm. New coach Byron Scott had to deal with injuries, again. Fading star Mashburn was lost for the season then traded away. Baron Davis was traded to Golden State, Wesley to Houston. The team started with stars, and imploded immediately.
The Hornets did have characters in Chris “Birdman” Anderson and a rookie J.R. Smith. The third season lacked production from the established stars on the roster, but the team had them under contract for a while. However, New Orleans was about to get their biggest star yet.
The Chris Paul Era
Two playoff seasons, two fired coaches. However, Byron Scott was brought back for a second season despite only winning 18 games. That poor record gave New Orleans a chance to bring in the biggest star to date, Chris Paul. Brandon Bass was also drafted, giving some LSU fans reason to pay attention.
David West and Rookie of the Year Chris Paul led the young team to a respectable 38 wins. There were late season playoff possibilities, but a poor run of form paired with a suspension to Anderson meant New Orleans would again miss the playoffs. However, the team had a bonafide star in Paul and real optimism moving forward.
It was during that season and the next that the team faced many logistical nightmares due to Hurricane Katrina. Two busted picks in the draft shoulder some blame for the team stagnating like the still-water left after the storm. With Paul and West developing chemistry, the team only improved one win over the previous season, finishing 39-43.
In only his second year, Paul was in the “young star” conversation. West was in the formidable second tier of All-Star caliber players being overlooked nationally. Byron Scott was retained for a third season.
That second-third season (6th in NOLA, 3rd for Scott) was a charm. The team finished 56-26, thanks to additions of Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler. Both were on the edges of secondary star recognition. Chris Paul excited the crowds nightly as the Hornets won the division and earned the second seed. Byron Scott won coach of the year.
The franchise got its first playoff series win, which was extra delightful because they eliminated Dallas. The second round series went to a Game 7, but the opposing coach was Gregg Popovich, who was leading the defending NBA champs. New Orleans took the Spurs to the brink, but needed the wounds and lessons of that series loss to grow from.
Tyson Chandler fell apart the next season, missing 37 games. The other four starters missed a combined 68 full games, with some early exits to boot. A first round exit to the Carmelo-led Nuggets was littered with blowouts, as the Hornets depth was depleted.
Still, they had two All-Stars and a bright future. Chris Paul signed his contract extension and the team had flexibility going forward.
Byron Scott started his fourth season horribly and was fired just nine games into the season. GM Jeff Bower stepped into the lead chair, and invited Tim Floyd back into the New Orleans coaching fold. Rookie Darren Collison flashed potential through the season, but ultimately the Hornets finished last in the Southwest Division.
Those high hopes were drowned out by apathy. The coaching carousel made little sense and the skeleton crew front office was barely functional. There is a reason George Shinn is a cursed name in Charlotte and New Orleans.
Shinn’s mismanagement hampered the first seasons of Dell Demps and Monty Williams. But the addition of college star Emeka Okafor added some star power to the roster. New Orleans jumped to 46 wins and a playoff berth, but were eliminated by the Lakers in the first round.
The turmoil behind the scenes did not help matters. Shinn’s scheming led to him relinquishing the team. This ordeal led to the Chris Paul trade disaster that tainted both the franchise and NBA commissioner David Stern. The NBA lockout paired with the trade nonsense was a stain on the whole season.
The next season had only Okafor and then-promising Eric Gordon to lead New Orleans. The abbreviated season suppressed any leaps of development for most of the roster. The Paul trade shook the franchise into a lost season. Carl Landry and a young Trevor Ariza were the lone bright spots. But again, the team was about to land another superstar.
The Anthony Davis Era
The draft that offseason changed the trajectory of New Orleans basketball. Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers, and Darius Miller brought a bonafide star back to the Crescent City with plenty of role players to boot. Davis had the hype and NCAA championship to back up his early star status.
New Orleans has enjoyed the ascension of Davis into the NBA Top 10 conversation for the majority of his tenure here. That means New Orleans has had a decently marketable star for all but one lost season during a lockout. However, the looming Davis trade could change the roster complexion for years. Any trade will likely bring back potential young talent that would need two years to establish any star status.
Jrue Holiday earned a new level of respect from the NBA writ at large the last two seasons. However, he is not exactly viewed as a fringe star, much less an established one. Even though he dominated the new league darling Damian Lillard, Holiday is still not mentioned as a force that can lead a team. He may get his chance next season, unless he is also traded for assets.
Anthony Davis asked for his trade to the Lakers and then cartooned his way out of town before the last game tipped off. David Griffin now has to deal with Jrue Holiday trade rumors in the wake of that Davis created turmoil. While Holiday is arguably too valuable to trade, Griffin must be open to all options. Trading Davis would likely be the best initial move Griffin could make, even without the trade demands.
The Ringer’s hypothetical Clippers offer of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Landry Shamet, Danilo Gallinari’s expiring contract, multiple first-rounders, and probably a couple more assets for Anthony Davis would be a solid start if the Celtics shy away from a deal. Several other teams have attractive rumored trade packages to offer, but Boston, Toronto, and the LA teams are the front runners in the Davis sweepstakes.
No hypothetical deals for Jrue Holiday involve a star coming to play home games at the Smoothie King Center. All the rumors for the Pelicans cornerstone players involve young players showing lots of promise, some roster filler, and draft picks. Not may draft picks become bonafide NBA All-Stars.
If David Griffin plans to clean house, the trade hauls should be very promising with his years of seasoning and great draft scouting. However, some level of star power is needed to attract fans and other high caliber NBA talent. What would the Pelicans front office try to sell potential season tickets holders for next season if a star player is at least two years away?
If they were to acquire him, selling a player like Zion Williamson is easy to the fans, until rookie mistakes lead to mounting losses. Finding a trade to acquire Zion that satisfies Holiday’s desire to compete will be difficult. Finding two trades for Holiday and Davis that could bring back players on the brink of a star turn, while creating enough cap room to sign a willing star free agent to a contract will be all but impossible.
The highest tier of available stars like Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard won’t even give New Orleans a meeting. Kemba Walker is a lateral move at best, at a higher salary than Holiday. Jimmy Butler only makes sense if the free agent cards fall just perfectly, including Griffin nailing the Davis trade, the draft picks, and retaining Holiday.
David Griffin’s early moves are delivering a respectable front office and training staff. If his roster moves, trade negotiations, and draft picks provide the same optimism, New Orleans will soon have a new star or two to cheer about for years. Ideally, this would involve Holiday staying and retiring as a beloved New Orleans icon.
If everything does not go perfectly, or the plan is just to compile assets while shedding even the most valuable contracts, the New Orleans Pelicans may need a few years of patience before another “no doubt star” dons a Pelicans jersey.