Could David Griffin use 2016 Cavaliers as a model for the Pelicans?

David Griffin was the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers when they won their lone championship back in 2016. Could he use Cleveland’s success as the blueprint for future prosperity with the New Orleans Pelicans?

Okay, so how exactly does a team that has made the playoffs just twice in the past several seasons do a complete turnaround and adapt the blueprint of a champion before them? It does sound like a bit of a stretch. But with a talent like Zion Williamson coming, it also lies in the realm of possibility.

Before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s go back a few seasons and briefly dive into what Cleveland accomplished under the management of David Griffin. The Cleveland Cavaliers were, well, out of sorts when LeBron James left them back in 2010 (they won 19 games the following season and went on a losing streak of 26 straight games). When he returned back to the team in the summer of 2014 (same summer Griffin was hired as GM), they instantly went from cellar dwellers to championship contenders overnight.

With James at the helm, Griffin orchestrated a roster that best fits his playstyle. He spread the floor with shooters, which perfectly complimented James’ game. The Cavaliers in 2015-16 finished third in the NBA in three-point makes, with 10.7 per contest.

The New Orleans Pelicans were abysmal from three-point range in 2018/19. They finished 20th in the league from distance this past season, with 10.3 makes per contest. This statistic does a couple of things. It illustrates the Pelicans’ perimeter woes but also shows how much the game has altered in such a short span of time. Three-point shooting has become vital for any type of success. Just three seasons ago the aforementioned Cavaliers finished third in the NBA with 0.4 makes per contest more than the Pelicans last year.

Another aspect in which the 15-16 Cavaliers succeeded in was their defense. They had a top 10 defense that complimented their offensive dynamic. Again, the Pelicans were abysmal defensively this past season as well—finishing 27th in points per game allowed. Part of that can be attributed to Davis’ missed time, but they need to be better as a team for future success.

Zion Williamson will likely help them out significantly on the defensive end. In his lone year at Duke, he averaged 2.1 steals to go alongside 1.8 blocks per contest. He’s incredibly active on that end of the floor, he can hang with perimeter guys with his lateral quickness, and body up forwards and play stifling man defense.

Alright—now with that brief history lesson concluded—let’s get crazy. Hang tight. Spite me down if needed for even suggesting this. Quick disclaimer: this is not saying Zion Williamson is going to be the next LeBron James. That comparison is unfair for Williamson and disrespects the career that James has had.

However, if you construct a roster similar to what LeBron James had in his second stint with Cleveland, it could work for Zion too. Williamson is not the passer James is, we fully comprehend that. But that’s not saying Zion is not a bad passer, he just is not one of the best playmakers in NBA history, yet (all aboard the hype train).

If you look back at Williamson’s single-season in Duke, you can see what kind of roster he needs around him. One of the main deterrents for Duke this past season was their lack of perimeter shooting.  Cam Reddish was often referred to as the best shooter of Duke’s big three with R.J Barrett and Williamson but shot just 33 percent from distance. You put guys alongside Zion that clog the paint and are ball-dominant, you have issues. But if you get a nice mixture of shooters/playmakers, you might just enjoy a little success.

We don’t know how this roster will look post-Davis trade if the trade happens at all. One would have to think that a big three of Davis, Holiday, and Williamson would compensate for their woes on both ends of the court. Davis would perfectly compliment the likes of Williamson in today’s NBA. With those three, the Pelicans are sure to be an intimidating juggernaut.

But that might not be the reality for this team. David Griffin has his work cut out in front of him, just as he did with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He made the correct transactions for short-term success. He added in veterans like Richard Jefferson, Kyle Korver, and Channing Fyre—all of whom were key contributors to their title run. Likewise, he also made trades for players such as J.R Smith and Iman Shumpert who helped the team get over the hump.

Under David Griffin, the Cavaliers were amongst the league’s elite. Part of that had to do with a generational talent, another part had to do with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert’s willingness to enter the luxury tax threshold, but he also added in the correct pieces to accommodate James’ skill set. He has another potential generational talent in Zion Williamson in which to construct a contender around. Hopefully, Griffin’s history translates over to New Orleans.