New Orleans Pelicans: 30 greatest players in franchise history

Alexis Ajinca was another one of those indispensable big men for the Pelicans. After playing out of the NBA from 2011-13, he joined the Pelicans as a free agent. He enjoyed quite the productive career in New Orleans, setting a few career marks in his path.

After brief stints with the then-Charlotte Bobcats, the Dallas Mavericks and the Toronto Raptors, he signed a multi-year deal with New Orleans during the 2014 NBA offseason. His first season with the Pelicans (2013-14), he appeared in 56 games, starting in a career-high 30 games. In 17.0 minutes of action, Ajinca averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 54.6 percent shooting from the floor.

He racked up a career-high 443 points and 315 rebounds during his second season with the Pelicans, while producing 6.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 14.1 minutes of action per contest. His number of starts dropped to eight, but he appeared in a career-high 68 games.

During the 2015-16 NBA season, he registered some of the best numbers of his career. He achieved a career-high 28 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 8, 2016, in a 110-102 victory. He also snagged a career-high 15 rebounds in the contest. Ajinca averaged 6.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest in 14.6 minutes per game during the regular season.

Ajinca finished his career averaged 6.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game through 222 appearances with the Pelicans when his career came to an end in 2016-17. He ranks 12th all-time in franchise history in total rebounds (1,038) and 10th in offensive rebounds (319).