Should the New Orleans Pelicans let Derrick Favors Walk?

With his free agency looming, the New Orleans Pelicans have a tough decision to make on the future of Favors.

The New Orleans Pelicans are in a good position. They have the best young core in the NBA, plenty of future draft picks and no clear weaknesses. Most teams would be happy to trade places and take on the Pelicans combination of young talent and assets.

One thing that isn’t clear is the future of center Derrick Favors.

Favors isn’t loud or flashy. He doesn’t put up huge numbers or get highlight reel dunks.

But Favors is the anchor of the interior defense for the New Orleans Pelicans, a solid veteran presence who sets the tone for the team defensively.

Favors is undoubtedly an important member of the New Orleans Pelicans, but with his $17.65 million due to come off the books in the offseason, New Orleans has to decide whether to re-sign him or go in a different direction.

The center position is rapidly changing in the NBA and guys like Favors are finding themselves being replaced by stretch-fours and fives who can shoot the 3-pointer and spend very little time in the lane.

Favors does nothing but rebound, block shots and dunk, so he hardly fits the profile of a modern NBA five. In fact Favors probably would have thrived in the 1990’s, when his physical style of play would have been more valuable to teams focused on defense.

Favors is one of the few consistent defenders and rebounders for the New Orleans Pelicans, but will that be enough to get him a new contract with the team, or will they decide to forego these things completely in an effort to become the highest scoring team in the NBA behind Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram?

Let’s break down the options for the New Orleans Pelicans.