New Orleans Pelicans’ Potential Free Agents: Shooter and a Stretch Four

In this series we’ll take a look at some of the 2020 NBA free agents to see how they might fit on the New Orleans Pelicans next season.

With the NBA season in flux, the New Orleans Pelicans are doing whatever they can to stay busy, whether it is through acts of philanthropy or simply reading a book.

We at Pelican Debrief are doing the same, keeping ourselves busy with all manner of content while we wait out what is hopefully the worst of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

With NBA owners and executives hoping for a June return but preparing for the worst, it’s possible the league will be shut down entirely and that several New Orleans Pelicans have played their last game with the team.

Though it’s too early to know how the suspension of play will affect the salary cap, it’s not too early to start looking at how some of the potential free agents would fit in on the Pelicans if play does not resume.

In this series we’ll take a look at one or two free agents each day. Because we do not yet know enough about the salary cap, Brandon Ingram‘s potential max deal, or even when free agency will be, I will follow a few rules for this series.

1. Unrestricted free agents only. There are too many moving parts to know how any of this will play out, but restricted free agency is always tricky.
2. I’ll try to choose one free agent from the “premium” crop and one from a lower tier.
3. Money is not an object at this point. The New Orleans Pelicans will likely be capped out if they extend Ingram and don’t make a trade, but for these purposes, money will be more of an abstract concept.

Without further ado, here’s the first installment of our New Orleans Pelicans’ potential free agent watch. Let’s start with a guy who provides something every team wants more of: shooting.

Strengths: Long-range shooting, perimeter defense

Weaknesses: Finishing at the rim, consistency, playmaking

Key Statistics: 39.9% 3-point shooter, eFG% .557

How he fits with the Pelicans:

The New Orleans Pelicans are 6th in 3-point attempts and 5th in 3-point percentage, so it might not seem like they need more shooting, but they do.

The Pelicans’ bench was exposed over the last few weeks with both Nicolo Melli and Josh Hart losing their touch from long-range after J.J. Redick went down with injury.

The Pelicans were struggling to score with their second unit and could use a player who can occasionally carry his team on offense.

Langston Galloway can be that type of player. Yes, he is a streaky shooter who goes from can’t miss to can’t hit the ocean, but he has proven he can be a productive bench player who can occasionally carry an offense.

He shoots nearly 40 percent from 3-point range, which is top-ten for shooting guards, and defends his position well, two things the Pelicans will need after potentially losing E’Twaun Moore in free agency.

Galloway does everything that Moore does, but just a little bit better. He’s filled in as a spot starter for Detroit this season, so Galloway could be counted on to step up if one of the Pelicans misses time with an injury.

Galloway is also a consummate professional who will not complain or cause trouble if he doesn’t get a lot of minutes or shots.

The New Orleans Pelicans are familiar with Galloway after he spent 55 games with the team in 2016-17.

Galloway’s free agency will be interesting, as he is having one of his best seasons as a 3-point shooter and there will undoubtedly be some suitors.

Galloway is just 28, so he might end up with a multi-year deal that prices him out of the Pelicans’ range.

He is from Louisiana, so it’s possible that Galloway would take less money to finish his career with an up and coming team in his home state.

At the right price, Galloway is a nice fit with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Strengths: Scoring, stretching the floor, pick-and-roll
Weaknesses: Rim protection, rebounding
Key Statistics: 19.2 points per game, 40.9 percent 3-point shooter
How he fits with the Pelicans:

With rookie Zion Williamson taking up most of the space in the lane, the New Orleans Pelicans need players who can stretch the floor.

While Melli has provided occasional 3-point shooting from the power forward position, Danilo Gallinari would be a huge upgrade, as he is more consistent and can do a lot more with the ball.

Gallinari is an accomplished scorer from just about anywhere on the floor, whether it is knocking down 3-pointers like he does here:

https://twitter.com/okcthunder/status/1235011819632316417

Or running off screens on his way to the rim as he does here:

Gallinari and teammate Chris Paul have formed one of the most unstoppable pick-and-roll tandems in the league, as the New Orleans Pelicans found out in a recent 123-118 loss to the Thunder.

Gallinari had 29 points in the win over the Pelicans, scoring from all over the floor and stretching the Pelicans’ defense.

This is exactly what he could do for New Orleans, as he would be the perfect player to run pick-and-roll with Lonzo Ball while allowing Zion to roam free in the lane.

Gallinari would allow the Pelicans to play Zion at the five at times, which would increase their pace and make them almost impossible to stop offensively.

A lineup featuring Jrue Holiday, Ball, Ingram, Gallinari and Williamson would have almost endless offensive possibilities and create mismatches all over the floor.

Gallinari won’t be cheap, and though he is already 31, he may still be looking for one last big contract and some team may just give it to him.

Gallinari makes $22.6 million this season, so it will be interesting to see how his free agency plays out.

The Pelicans may not have the cap space to sign Gallinari, even if they let Derrick Favors and the rest of their free agents walk.

Money aside, Gallinari could make the New Orleans Pelicans the best offensive team in the NBA and would be a great addition if they can find a way to make it work.

Check Pelicans Debrief regularly for more New Orleans Pelicans’ content during the shutdown, including Part 2 of our free agent series. Stay safe out there, folks!

For more information about COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.