Here is a recap of our weekly free agent profile series in which the readers chose potential free agents for the New Orleans Pelicans.
If you missed last week’s profiles of potential free agents for the New Orleans Pelicans, check out the recap here.
We also did a more detailed look at Fred VanVleet, which you can find here.
The NBA is trying to stay positive about a possible summer return to play from the COVID-19 hiatus, but it is becoming increasingly possible that the season will be cancelled.
If the season is truly over, it is unclear how the cancellation and the loss of revenue that comes with it, will affect things like the draft, free agency and the salary cap.
Basketball is the furthest thing from most people’s minds, but it’s good to take a break from the news cycle and talk some hoops.
When talking free agency, we decided to follow a loose set of rules:
- 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.
- I’ll try to choose one free agent from the “premium” crop and one from a lower tier. This won’t always be the case, but we’ll try to mix it up.
- 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.
This week, we got the reader’s involved, allowing the fans to choose which free agents to profile as possible fits for the New Orleans Pelicans.
The fans didn’t disappoint, choosing some interesting possibilities that include several intriguing bigs and a couple of guard possibilities.
The New Orleans Pelicans may not have much money to spend in the offseason, but for now we are mostly focusing on basketball fit.
Every guy on this list could bring something different to the New Orleans Pelicans, so the readers did an excellent job of choosing a varied crop of players.
Here is a recap of the readers’ choices for potential New Orleans Pelicans’ free agents.
Strengths: 3-Point shooting, toughness, team chemistry, wing defense
Weaknesses: Shot blocking, speed, running the floor
Key Statistics: 39.3 percent 3-point shooter on 6.8 attempts, 1.5 steals per game
How he fits with the Pelicans:
Jae Crowder is no stranger to packing his bags.
The veteran wing has played for six different teams in his career, which is strange considering he’s been a productive role player everywhere he’s been.
Currently on Miami, Crowder is enjoying one of his best statistical seasons, scoring 11.9 points per game and adding 5.8 rebounds, two assists and 1.5 steals.
Most importantly, Crowder is shooting 39.3 percent from 3-point range on 6.8 attempts per game, which is exactly the type of volume and accuracy the New Orleans Pelicans are looking for in a wing.
Crowder is capable of guarding both forward positions and can shoot the three, which makes him an upgrade over Nicolo Melli, who can shoot but is limited defensively.
The New Orleans Pelicans can run, score and dazzle you with highlight-reel alley-oops, but they don’t play much defense, especially on the wing.
Crowder would bring a toughness and defensive identity that the Pelicans currently lack, and would instantly be a fan favorite for his blue-collar, hard-nosed style of play.
Crowder would also offer the New Orleans Pelicans something they desperately need: a way to slow down LeBron James.
James killed the Pelicans in the Lakers’ season sweep and New Orleans was forced to use smaller players like Josh Hart and Jrue Holiday to try to stop him.
It didn’t work, and LeBron had his way with the Pelicans.
Look, no one has been able to stop LeBron in 17 seasons, but he is more symbolic of the problem the New Orleans Pelicans face, which is that they cannot stop big wings.
Crowder would be an instant upgrade defensively on the wing and could work in small-ball lineups with Zion Williamson at the five and Ingram at small forward.
The New Orleans Pelicans need a big wing who can shoot, and Crowder fits the bill.
Crowder is still just 29, so he may get a contract worth more than his current $7.81 million, which represents one of the better value contracts in the league.
He may be priced out of the New Orleans Pelicans’ range without some kind of trade, but he is a nice fit from a basketball perspective and would be an upgrade to the starting lineup or bench.
Strengths: Stretching the floor, running the floor, weakside shotblocking, highlight reel dunks
Weaknesses: Defensive positioning, on-the-ball defense
Key Statistics: 38.6 percent 3-point shooter, 22 points/10.6 rebounds/1.5 blocks per 36 minutes
How he fits with the Pelicans:
It’s time to admit that the New Orleans Pelicans made a mistake when they waived center Christian Wood.
Wood, like Crowder, is a bit of an anomaly, as he is only 24, but has been on five different teams despite being a productive player everywhere he’s been.
Wood is a G-League and Per 36 legend, as he has put up numbers that would seemingly put him on the radar of every team.
The New Orleans Pelicans got to take a look at Wood in the eight games he played for the team in 2018-19.
Wood’s per 36 numbers in that short span were eye-opening, as he put up 25.7 points, 12 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.
Sure, it was a small sample, but those numbers should have given the New Orleans Pelicans pause before they waived Wood.
The Pistons snatched up Wood as soon as he was available and it paid off, especially since the trade of Andre Drummond.
Since Wood took over as primary center for the Pistons, he’s scoring 22.7 points, grabbing 9.9 boards and swatting over a shot per game, numbers that could get him some votes for the league’s Most Improved Player.
Wood would fit in well with the up-tempo Pelicans, as he runs the floor well, throws down highlight-reel dunks and has a slick overall offensive game, including the ability to knock down 3-point shots.
Wood brings many of the same attributes as Jaxson Hayes, but unlike Hayes, Wood can shoot from the perimeter, which would allow the Pelicans to stretch the floor and clear space for Zion to operate.
Likes Hayes, Wood gets lost on defense at times, but is a plus shotblocker from the weakside.
He wouldn’t be a big boost to the New Orleans Pelicans’ already struggling defense, but his rim running and 3-point shooting could make the Pelicans the best offense in the NBA.
Wood is the modern-day stretch five that the Pelicans need. The problem is that they already had him and threw him away, which Wood probably won’t forget when he is choosing a new team.
It’s also unclear what type of salary Wood will command.
He would have been cheaper than Hayes this season and probably more productive, but now that the league has caught on, Wood might get paid.
At only age 24, Wood’s best days are ahead of him.
Could he forgive the Pelicans for overlooking his talent? Will he get a reasonable contract or will someone overpay for his potential?
These are questions that would have to be answered, but Wood is a good fit for the New Orleans Pelicans strictly from a basketball perspective.
We’d like to wish Christian Wood a speedy recovery after it was revealed that he had contracted the coronavirus. Get well, soon Christian!
Strengths: Running the pick-and-roll, veteran leadership
Weaknesses: Running the fast break, on-the-ball defense, shooting, size
Key Statistics: 39.3 percent field goal percentage, 34.5 percent 3-point shooter
How he fits with the Pelicans:
It is no secret that the New Orleans Pelicans’ bench struggled for a few weeks leading up the hiatus.
This is largely because they stopped hitting long-range shots and had no one to run the offense when one of Lonzo Ball or Jrue Holiday was not on the floor.
With the luxury of two primary ballhandlers in Ball and Holiday it may not seem necessary for the New Orleans Pelicans to need another point guard.
But Frank Jackson is on the last year of his contract and might be priced out of the Pelicans’ range and there is a possibility that they will have to trade Holiday in the offseason.
That being said, finding a veteran point guard who can run the bench unit could end up being a priority for the New Orleans Pelicans.
D.J. Augustin could be a nice fit.
He runs the pick-and-roll well and would bring some stability to the floor in the absence of Ball or Holiday.
Augustin is a smart, 32-year-old veteran who brings a bag of tricks he could pass on to the young guys, but still has enough in the tank to contribute.
Augustin’s shooting has been down this year, but he is a career 37.9 percent shooter from 3-point range, though he’s never taken a lot of them.
His lack of speed and size don’t necessarily fit in with what the New Orleans Pelicans are trying to do, which is play with pace and launch 3-pointers, but he could come in and run the offense if the long-range shots aren’t falling.
He will also likely come cheap, especially if he decides to prioritize winning over salary.
The New Orleans Pelicans are going to need to find inexpensive players who can still produce, so Augustin might make sense as the backup on the right deal.
Strengths: 3-point shooting, stretching the floor
Weaknesses: Rim protection, rebounding
Key Statistics: 42.4 percent 3-point shooter on 8.7 attempts per game
How he fits with the Pelicans:
Dāvis Bertāns is not a household name, in fact, if you are not a fan of the Washington Wizards, then you probably haven’t heard much of him.
Bertāns arrived to the NBA a bit late at age 24 and didn’t get much run with the San Antonio Spurs in his first couple of seasons.
It was still surprising to see the Spurs make Bertāns available in a trade, as he offers something that every team is looking for: elite shooting.
Bertāns took off this season for the Wizards, raising his scoring average to 15.4 per game and putting himself in the running for the Most Improved Player award.
Bertāns is 6-foot-10 and shooting a scorching 42.4 percent from long-range on 8.7 attempts per game.
His 3-point percentage is 10th best in the NBA, one of four power forwards in the top-ten, but none of them shoot the volume that he does.
That is exactly the type of size, accuracy and volume that the New Orleans Pelicans need to stretch the floor for lane-hogger Zion Williamson.
The Pelicans already have a similar player in Nicolo Melli, but Bertāns is better, younger, and more consistent with his shot.
The only problem with Bertāns is the salary he is likely to command.
His rare combination of size and elite shooting could make him a hot commodity, especially in a free agent class that is light on stars.
Bertāns will certainly be on the radar of the New Orleans Pelicans, as the basketball fit is definitely there.
It’s all a matter of roster fit and the Pelicans would have to do some shuffling to make room for Bertāns.
Strengths: 3-Point shooting, floor spacing, rebounding
Weaknesses: Shot blocking, consistency, possible salary
Key Statistics: 42.9 percent 3-point shooting on 2.4 attempts per game
How he fits with the Pelicans:
If you’ve never heard of Meyers Leonard you are not alone.
The seven-foot Miami Heat center has never played a full NBA season and before this year had never started more than 12 games in his seven years in the league.
Up until now he is mostly known for being the guy who looked like Justin Bieber on juice:
https://twitter.com/MeyersLeonard/status/586682806933164034
It’s not clear if Leonard’s singing voice is there yet, but he was quietly starting to put together his basketball skills and having one of his best seasons as a pro.
Leonard started 49 games for the Heat prior to the hiatus and was averaging 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game.
Most of Leonard’s numbers are not going to jump out at you, but he does one thing well that teams covet, which is shoot the 3-pointer.
Leonard is a career 39.2 percent shooter from long-range and had raised that number to 42.9 percent this season.
He’s never been a volume shooter, but Leonard profiles as the type of modern, stretch-five that the New Orleans Pelicans need.
With rookie wrecking ball Zion Williamson taking up most of the lane, the Pelicans need bigs who can space the floor.
Leonard has always been able to shoot ever since he was drafted by the Trail Blazers out of the University of Illinois.
When he came into the league, many thought he could be the prototype of the modern-day center, but Leonard has never really been able to put it all together.
However, at just 27, Leonard is starting to become that guy and if the New Orleans Pelicans can get him on a good deal, he could be a nice fit for a team looking for floor spacing.
Leonard was one of the lucky players whose free agency coincided with the 2016 bump in salary cap, so he was vastly overpaid on his current contract.
The question is whether he will be again.
Will his rare combination of size and shooting get him another big contract or will teams look at results and ignore potential?
With every team looking for bigs who can shoot, the seven-foot Bieber might get overpaid again, but if not, he’d be a nice basketball fit for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Strengths: 3-Point shooting, toughness, defense, team chemistry
Weaknesses: Playmaking, ball-stopping, team chemistry
Key Statistics: 43.9 percent 3-point shooting on 6.1 attempts per game
How he fits with the Pelicans:
The Morris Twins have been known for their tough style of play since they entered the league.
The two brothers from Philly like to stir things up and both of have been on the receiving end of plenty of technicals and ejections, often for stupid stuff like this:
Marcus Morris is one of those players who does his best to get in the head of the other guys, to get them out of their game and playing with emotion. And he’s good at it:
The problem with this kind of stuff is that it is great when your team is winning, but when the team is losing, it can become a festering cancer in the locker room.
This is why we listed “team chemistry” as both a strength and weakness for Marcus Morris. When things are going well, he’s a tough, fiery leader and when they aren’t, his maelstrom of emotions can erode a team.
All fighting aside, Marcus Morris was enjoying the best season of his career for the Knicks before being traded to the Clippers just before the hiatus.
Morris was averaging 19.6 points a game while shooting 43.9 percent from behind the arc on 6.1 attempts per game.
Morris can play both forward positions and has the strength and toughness to defend larger players in the post.
His toughness, volume and accuracy from 3-point range would make him a nice fit on the New Orleans Pelicans, who lack all of those things on the wing.
The Pelicans desperately need a 3-and-D wing who can shoot the three and add the defensive identity and toughness the team currently lacks.
Morris can be a bit of a black hole and ball stopper on offense, but wouldn’t be asked to do nearly as much on the New Orleans Pelicans as he was doing on the Knicks.
It’s really just a question of salary and whether the New Orleans Pelicans want to put up with Morris’ hot head.
He’s making $15 million this season and his 3-point shooting may be enough to get him another fat contract from someone, even though he is now 30 years old.
Brother Markieff Morris, once considered the better of the two, might be a cheaper option and brings many of the same qualities, including the temper.
If the price is right, Morris’ attitude, toughness and shooting could be assets to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The NBA is in uncharted waters, but we at Pelican Debrief are committed to bringing you continued coverage of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Thanks for your support during these trying times, stay safe out there!
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