Free Agent Recap: 6 Potential Fits for the New Orleans Pelicans

In this weekly recap, we’ll look at six players we profiled as potential free agent fits with the New Orleans Pelicans.

This week, we profiled six players as part of an ongoing series that looks at possible free agents for the New Orleans Pelicans.

With the league in unprecedented territory, it is unclear when or even if the season will resume after play was suspended due to COVID-19.

With no clear idea of when free agency will be or how much money teams will have to spend, this offseason will likely be the wildest in NBA history.

Knowing that the league is in flux, we followed a general set of guidelines when putting together these free agent profiles:

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 Brandon Ingram and don’t make a trade, but for these purposes, money will be more of an abstract concept.

The six players we have profiled so far run the spectrum from elite stretch fours, to lower end projects that the New Orleans Pelicans could develop over time.

We profiled a couple of big men, a streaky shooter and a veteran with a history of winning.

With several of their own players due to hit the open market, the New Orleans Pelicans will have spots to fill.

They may also need to trade one of their larger salaries to make room to lock up the best young core in the NBA.

Here is the first weekly recap of our free agent series. Please check back each week for more free agent profiles and possible trades for the New Orleans Pelicans.

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.

Strengths: Rim protection, rebounding, shooting efficiency, price tag

Weaknesses: Playmaking, ball handling

Key Statistics: 2.9 blocks per 36 minutes, eFG% of 68.7

How he fits with the Pelicans:

Nerlens Noel could potentially replace Favors at a fraction of the cost without losing much production.

Noel is the ultimate “Per-36” player as he doesn’t play big minutes but is able to fill out a scorecard in his short time on the floor.

Noel’s per-36 numbers are impressive at 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and two steals, but the problem is that he only plays 18.4 minutes per game on average for the Thunder.

There are several reasons for this, namely that Noel often gets in early foul trouble, but also because he is limited offensively.

Noel’s offensive limitations wouldn’t matter much on the New Orleans Pelicans, as he would simply be asked to do two things: rebound and protect the rim.

He has always been able to do those two things, albeit in short bursts.

Noel wouldn’t require the ball, which is good for a team with ball dominant players like Jrue Holiday, Zion Williamson and Lonzo Ball, but he can run the floor and would add another big for Ball and Holiday to throw lobs to.

Regardless of what he provides on offense, Noel protects the rim, which is something the Pelicans need.

They are currently near the bottom of the league in points allowed in the paint, give up way too many offensive rebounds and are generally poor on defense.

Noel would help all of these things, while allowing Zion to get out on the break instead of focusing on rebounding.

Noel should also come with a fairly reasonable price tag, as he is making just $2.02 million this year and probably won’t get much of a raise.

Noel is still only 25 years old and could provide the low-cost rim protection the New Orleans Pelicans need.

Strengths: Stretching the floor, toughness, team chemistry, size

Weaknesses: Rim protection, turnovers

Key Statistics: 35.1 percent 3-point shooter on four attempts per game

How he fits with the Pelicans:

Aron Baynes, like Brook Lopez, has evolved his traditional big man game to fit the modern NBA.

This meant abandoning his back-to-the-basket post play and becoming more of a stretch-five, a center who can pull opposing bigs away from the basket.

With the wrecking ball known as Zion taking up most of the lane, the New Orleans Pelicans need a big who can stretch the floor and stay out of his way.

Baynes has become this type of player, raising his 3-point attempts from practically none to four a game and knocking down 35.1 percent of them.

Baynes has a nice shooting stroke and has shown that he can get hot from long-range, especially from the corner 3-pointer, as he did when he scored 37 points for the Suns, knocking down nine from behind the arc.

If you looked at the big Aussie you’d think he belongs in another era, but to his credit, Baynes saw the writing on the wall and knew he’d have no future in the NBA if he didn’t learn how to shoot the three.

Baynes does have some weaknesses. He doesn’t protect the rim well, can be somewhat matchup-dependent if the opposition has a fast big man and he turns the ball over way too much.

But the New Orleans Pelicans would really only need his shooting and toughness, two things they currently lack.

Baynes may not be much of a shot blocker, but he is a tough, physical presence in the lane who gets the most out of his fouls.

He is the type of teammate that players rally around and he would instantly be a fan favorite in New Orleans.

Baynes brings the shooting and intangibles that the Pelicans need, but the problems are age and price tag.

Baynes is 33 years old and will likely be looking for one last big contract in the NBA, which might mean a significant raise from his current $5.45 million salary.

If the Pelicans can afford him on a short-term contract, Baynes could be an ideal fit alongside Zion and Ingram while providing the Pels with some much-needed veteran toughness.

Strengths: Potentially elite shooting at a bargain

Weaknesses: Shooting consistency, rebounding, rim protection

Key Statistics: 32.1 percent career 3-point shooter

How he fits with the Pelicans:

When Lonzo Ball came to the New Orleans Pelicans he had one of the ugliest shots in the league.

It was awkward, seemed to come from the wrong side and had a hitch in it like a broken down horse. Enter Fred Vinson.

The Pelicans’ shooting coach took Ball under his wing and the results have been nothing short of miraculous. Ball’s shot went from janky to smooth and he is now a 38.3 percent 3-point shooter, up from 32.9 percent the year before.

Vinson was able to get similar results from Ingram, who raised his 3-point percentage to 38.7, up from 33 percent in the previous season.

Mario Hezonja is another player who could use a visit to the shot doctor.

Drafted number five overall in 2015, Hezonja entered the league as one of the best offensive prospects. At 6-foot-8, Hezonja has the ideal size for a modern, 3-point shooting wing.

Unlike Ball, his shot was already honed and Hezonja was expected to come into the NBA as one of the top shooters in the draft.

The problem is that when Hezonja got to the NBA he forgot how to shoot.

In his short career, Hezonja has shot just 32.1 percent from 3-point range, which was supposed to be his primary skill in the NBA.

Hezonja showed promise in his first season, shooting 34.9 percent from long-range, but it has gotten worse nearly every year, including two seasons of shooting below 30 percent from behind the arc.

It seems like Hezonja’s career might be a bust. Enter Fred Vinson.

At only 25 years old, Hezonja has plenty of time to figure it out and could eventually turn things around in the right situation.

The New Orleans Pelicans have Zion Williamson, Ingram, Jrue Holiday and Ball, guys who will draw double teams and are gifted passers.

If Hezonja can get his shot on track, he would undoubtedly benefit from being on a team with so many offensive weapons.

He’s a potential “low risk, high reward” player for the New Orleans Pelicans, as he would likely fit into their budget, even after they max Ingram.

The Pelicans probably won’t have much cap space, so they will need to find a few end of the bench guys who might contribute.

Hezonja could be the floor spreading, high volume 3-point shooter they are looking for off their bench. He will likely be a cheap option, but one that could pay off for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Strengths: Rebounding, rim protection, toughness, 3-point shooting, playoff experience

Weaknesses: Playmaking, turnovers

Key Statistics: 39.8 percent 3-point shooter in 2019-20

How he fits with the Pelicans:

Derrick Favors will be a free agent in the offseason, and if the New Orleans Pelicans decide to let him walk, they might find his replacement in power forward Serge Ibaka.

Ibaka provides all of the rebounding, rim protection, veteran leadership and toughness as Favors, but has two things Favors does not: 3-point shooting and playoff experience.

Ibaka is having one of his best offensive seasons, scoring a career-high 16 points per game on 39.8 percent shooting from behind the arc.

Ibaka could stretch the floor in ways that Favors cannot.

Ibaka also has a long history of playoff experience and success, as he has been to wars with the Oklahoma City Thunder and won a title with the Toronto Raptors.

No matter what you think of Ibaka’s rough and somewhat dirty style of play, he is the kind of tough, veteran winner that could teach the young New Orleans Pelicans how to make the leap when they make the playoffs.

Even though Ibaka has seemingly been in the league forever, he is still just 30 years old and has plenty left in the tank.

His career-best numbers have likely priced him out of the New Orleans Pelicans range unless they were to make a trade, but Ibaka would fit with the Pelicans from a basketball perspective.

Every team needs a gritty inside presence to set the tone defensively, grab rebounds and protect the rim.

Ibaka can do all of those things, plus add elite long-range shooting for his position. He’d fit in well in small ball lineups with Zion and could handle the opponent’s toughest interior assignment.

The league is in unprecedented times, but we will continue to provide great New Orleans Pelicans’ coverage during the hiatus. Stay safe out there!

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