New Orleans Pelicans Most Anticipated 2019-20 Lineups
The New Orleans Pelicans has shown patience and faith, extending second chances to Jahlil Okafor and Frank Jackson.
The New Orleans Pelicans reserves have been under intense scrutiny for the last few years. Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis could build a lead, only to watch the bench mob murder any chances of fourth-quarter rest.
Pelicans Second Unit Squadron: Frank Jackson, Josh Hart, Darius Miller, Kenrich Williams, Jaxson Hayes
Anthony Davis demanded a trade because the Pelicans lacked depth. Losing third quarters led to stressful situations, due to a lack of trust and faith in the back half of the bench. The Pelicans have shown faith in Jackson, remaining patient while he regained the strength to play at his full potential.
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Darius Miller signed a contract worth over $7 million worth of faith from the Pelicans. That contract might be more valuable to Griffin in a trade, but Miller has to prove valuable on the court. His near 40% three-point shooting average would be counted on to provide spacing in this lineup. Hayes hit a three-pointer in Las Vegas, he may not have the permission to take that shot in a regular-season game.
Kenrich Williams is going to spend the season being overlooked but will probably be underused considering his talents. He was likely the last person to make the team, just nixing Christian Wood for the final roster spot. He will get limited minutes to show he deserved the honor. Bringing his Kenny Hustle energy to practice will keep him in the coaches’ thoughts. Until that equates into minutes, he will need to keep up the enthusiasm from the bench.
The Pelicans believe Jackson has sixth man of the year potential. Josh Hart is primed for a similar breakout season deserving of recognition and pay raise. Okafor has had years to learn how to play defense and needs to start showing the progress to match his draft status. Hayes would have room to start learning the nuances of his game.