New Orleans Pelicans: The 5 biggest takeaways from media day

Media Day 2019 is now over, but the New Orleans Pelicans players and staff left us with some big takeaways at their kick-off training camp.

Each season, the first important day on the NBA League Calendar is media day, traditionally held by each club the day before their training camp starts. On Monday, the New Orleans Pelicans gave us a good portrait of how the organization feels headed into the 2019-2020 season.

Live from the Pelicans practice facility in Metairie, Louisiana, the organization’s members posed for pictures, tried on new jerseys, and spoke to the media.

What’s important at each media day is its role in allowing players to voice their feelings headed into the season; every player gets the chance to field questions.

This media day allowed a group that includes 12 brand-new New Orleans Pelicans players to talk about the changes they’ve seen headed into the 2019-2020 campaign. While bigger-name players end up speaking longer than guys in the rotation, they’re all given a voice.

Always important to fans is to hear their team is on the same page, at the very least, and this Pelicans squad seems to generally like each other’s company.

We already knew that the team would be rolling out their “Won’t Bow Down” tag and that the new Vice President of Player Care and Performance Aaron Nelson has refurbished the entire Pelicans training room. In some ways, the team was already speaking out about their interest in developing a new culture around this new roster.

Despite any inherent protection of details other teams might try to steal to get a leg up on the Pelicans, the team seemed candid and confident, many of the players seeming comfortable in front of the microphone.

Overall, it was a very interesting afternoon for the New Orleans Pelicans. There was a lot to learn about the reconstructed roster, but here are a few of the most important things fans learned about their team on Monday afternoon.

Derrick Favors REALLY wanted to play with the New Orleans Pelicans

One of the most interesting takeaways from a day full of interesting quotes across the league was the apparent trade request Derrick Favors made to wind up in New Orleans.

Favors was acquired from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a pair of second-round picks in 2021 and 2023, both picks originating from the Golden State Warriors.

While Favors is both a quality player and great get for the Pelicans, he’s been a big part of Utah’s success for almost his entire career.

However, when he saw Utah changing their roster and needed to get more flexibility in their cap, Favors took a forward-thinking approach to his offseason. He said, “I just asked them, ‘could you trade me to New Orleans?'”

The Jazz got the deal done, likely just to get the cap figure corrected in their books as quickly as possible.

Now, not only to the Pelicans have a talented interior presence in Favors, but someone who is excited about and wants to be a member of this organization.

Zion Williamson and Jrue Holiday are “the guys” in the organization’s eyes

Time and time again, members of the New Orleans Pelicans were asked questions about two guys, Zion Williamson and Jrue Holiday. Further, the two names that kept being mentioned by David Griffin and Alvin Gentry were Jrue and Zion.

Holiday and Williamson are in two different phases of their career, that’s a given.

“He’s just a pure, genuine person,” Frank Jackson said of Zion. “He’s fun, he’s cool, he’s a normal kid. It’s been a pleasure to hang out with him for this last little bit.”

“It’s a rare maturity for a 19-year-old,” said rookie Nickeil Alexander-Walker, just 21-years-old himself. “He’ll say stuff and I’ll be like, ‘Wow, I didn’t even think about it that way.'”

On the expectations of his star rookie, Alvin Gentry said, “Zion isn’t here to save our franchise. We aren’t asking him to put on a cape & save our franchise. He just wants Zion to get better day by day”

While Zion is growing, another New Orleans Pelicans player is just now finding his voice.

This year, it seems Holiday will be trusted to be the leading force on the remade New Orleans Pelicans roster.

Alexander-Walker said, “Jrue makes it look so easy because he doesn’t do too much.”

J.J.Redick said he and Holiday discussed the prospect of playing together prior to the offseason. While Redick was initially interested in returning to the Philadelphia 76ers, it was his enthusiasm for joining forces with Holiday, in addition to a lot of talent around the roster, which eventually drove him to New Orleans.

When VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin spoke on Holiday, he compared his leap to Steve Nash, saying, “leadership sometimes takes a while for people to become comfortable,” while pointing out that Jrue is someone who often keeps quiet and lets his actions talk.

Between the two, they’re driving a pretty strong hyper factory. Their teammates consistently sang their praise as reporters asked about the two players time and time again.

David Griffin won’t apply too much pressure early

Unlike his first few months as the team’s primary basketball operations decision-maker, it seems the 2019-2020 NBA season will involve less turbulence.

Even down to saying he’d prefer that the team can keep an in-house roster candidate as opposed to using the $3.625 million injury settlement allocated for Darius Miller for a free agent, Griff likes the roster he’s constructed, and they’ll have a chance to grow.

However, it’s probably best for everyone’s sanity if Griffin keeps this roster pretty steady throughout the season. With 12 of the team’s 18 players being brand new faces to the organization, more change is just a way to keep this team from building an identity.

“Obviously we love the energy and excitement around the city. The vibe around this team… everyone can feel the positive energy around the players, coaches, our staff. It’s an energy that’s wholly unique in my basketball career,” Griffin said with regards to the feelings surrounding his squad heading into next season.

Coming from Griffin, these sorts of comments and sentiments are incredibly influential. He’s the one who really makes this organization turn and his excitement about his new roster should have those interested in the team excited.

This New Orleans Pelicans squad knows it’s good enough to compete for the playoffs

Over and over again, reporters asked New Orleans Pelicans personnel if they think they can compete for the playoffs. Unsurprisingly, no one made any guarantees, but it was clear from their sentiments, they know they have the ability to get to that level.

Considering the fact that the team is relying on five first-year NBA players in their rotation, it’s quite the statement that this team even has playoff aspirations.

The idea of making the playoffs led to one of the funniest takeaways from the day, as J.J. Redick, who has appeared in the playoffs in all 13 years of his NBA career, told Williamson, “don’t [expletive] this up for me.”

Both Williamson and Redick shared the story. It was pretty funny and light coming from both parties.

However, the team is really, really interested in making a playoff push, and not just the big names on the roster.

When asked about what he wants to do in year two, Kenrich Williams said, “Man, I want to make the playoffs; that’s my personal goal.”

The team is going to be given time to grow, as Griffin said, he just wants players to “be better tomorrow,” not letting them get too low on themselves if they don’t succeed right away. While the pressure is off to that capacity, the players themselves can still keep that playoff hope, as long as they’re doing it in a healthy way.

The new guys from the Los Angeles Lakers trade seem comfortable as New Orleans Pelicans

When they went to the podium, Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball, and Brandon Ingram stepped out from behind the shadow of the Anthony Davis trade, all sounding more excited to grow in New Orleans than scared by their swapping.

In particular, Ball’s enthusiasm for the present and future was refreshing.

Not involved in today’s talking points was LaVar Ball, who earlier this offseason called his son, “damaged goods.”

When he took the podium today, Ball was poised, kind, and confident in his answers. Speaking on the team and his own offseason, Ball told reporters, “we’re gonna go fast. I’m just working on my jump shot and off pick and rolls for the last month.”

Brandon Ingram didn’t have much to give in terms of a big quote, but he’s never going to be that kind of guy.

For those unfamiliar to his disposition, Ingram is infamously chill and it’s pretty unsurprising that he didn’t get too vocal about anything today. He said all the right things and doesn’t seem rattled by the rush, which is good enough for the time being.

Despite his chilled demeanor, Ingram overall expressed excitement about the New Orleans Pelicans, especially about the chance the squad has for defensive excellence. Ingram said, “defensively we could be really good, but it starts with principals. We have to be there for each other, trust each other, stay in front of our man, but really trust each other.”

Josh Hart, who is increasing his own media profile, has been getting comfortable in New Orleans all offseason and shared his enjoyment in that process. “At the end of the day, we’re about the team, it’s not about individuals,” Hart told reporters.

These three are going to have a big hand in the wins and loses column for the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason, so it’s incredibly encouraging to hear that they’re finding their comfort zones in the Big Easy.