New Orleans Pelicans: One Thing for Each Player to Improve During Hiatus

The Starting Five

The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the most exciting starting lineups in the NBA. They are loaded with playmakers and talent, but each of them have some things to work on during the hiatus.

Derrick Favors, Center

Derrick Favors is what he is.

He will never be a volume scorer and his job is to protect the paint, set screens and rebound the ball.

Favors was doing all of those things relatively well, averaging 9.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and one block per game.

Favors did his job when he was on the floor. The problem is that he often wasn’t.

Favors regularly got himself into foul trouble early in the game and had to hit the bench.

Considering he is a part of most of the Pelicans’ best five-man lineups, this is a big deal.

Favors is another guy whose return is unlikely but if he does come back a Pelican, he needs to reduce the silly fouls so he can stay on the floor.

Jrue Holiday, Shooting Guard

Though Jrue Holiday was arguably the MVP of the 2019-20 New Orleans Pelicans, his salary makes his future with the team murky.

Holiday was near or above all of his career averages and still plays elite defense for the guard position.

It would be nitpicking to ask him to improve, but if there is one area he can, it is his free throw shooting.

Holiday’s free throw attempts were down to 3.1 a game from four the season prior.

Holiday has the quickness and strength to get into the lane at will and we’d like to see him there more often, especially when he gets run with the second unit.

Holiday should be taking over games when he plays with the second team and this starts with getting to the charity stripe more frequently and to hit them when he does.

Holiday was shooting a career-low 70 percent from the line, which is not good for a guy who has his hands on the ball so much.

Holiday can be a closer for the Pelicans, but only if he takes and makes more free throws.

Brandon Ingram, Small Forward

Brandon Ingram was having by far his best season as a pro, made his first All-Star game and is one of the frontrunners for Most Improved Player of the season.

Ingram improved just about every part of his game, increasing his scoring, rebounding, assists and 3-point shooting.

There isn’t a whole lot for Ingram to do other than what he is already doing, but it would be nice to see him improve his weak side defense.

Ingram has the size and athleticism to be an effective weak side shotblocker and the Pelicans need him to be one, especially if Favors is on the bench.

The Pelicans lack defenders, especially on the wing, so if there is one aspect of Ingram’s game that could improve, it’s his shot blocking.

He currently averages just 0.7 blocks per game. If he can improve to a block or more a game, it will help shore up the Pelicans defense.

He doesn’t need to be an elite on-the-ball defender, as he is too important to the offense, but if Ingram can block a few more shots from the weak side, it will help the Pelicans immensely.

Lonzo Ball, Point Guard

Lonzo Ball is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA.

He is possibly the league’s best passer, or at least most spectacular passer, often hitting Zion for alley-oops from the other side of the court.

Ball’s propensity for the spectacular is what makes him great, but it also holds him back at times.

Lonzo was averaging a career-high 3.1 turnovers this season, which is something he has to improve moving forward.

Some of these turnovers are not his fault, as his teammates are sometimes not ready for passes that he puts through a tiny window.

Others are just the result of him handling the ball so much.

But others are because Lonzo sometimes tries to be spectacular, when a regular pass will do.

He also seems to lose focus at least once or twice a game, throwing the ball to no one or making a no-look pass for no reason.

The New Orleans Pelicans can certainly live with a couple of turnovers from Ball, but he needs to cut out the unnecessary ones that come from too much showboating or a lack of focus.

Zion Williamson, Power Forward

We already outlined what Zion Williamson needs to improve, though it seems like a fool’s errand to ask a 19-year-old who is averaging 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds to improve.

Zion has been everything he was advertised to be, but does have a couple of areas where he could and will be better.

Zion was a bit out of shape after missing most of the early season with a knee injury and we expect him to come back from this break ready to play big minutes.

His lack of conditioning was evident down the stretch when he was asked to carry the team at times and had a few sloppy turnovers that looked like the result of fatigue.

With a full offseason and training camp, Zion should come back in the best condition of his life, ready to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to the playoffs.

We’re not going to pick on Zion anymore because he’s been a revelation and could still take the Rookie of the Year award if the season ever resumes.

The New Orleans Pelicans are a young and ascending team with a whole lot of talent and reasons to be excited.

They could make the leap into the top-five in the Western Conference if each player uses this hiatus to improve their individual skills.

We at Pelican Debrief are committed to bringing you coverage of the New Orleans Pelicans during the suspension of play.

Thanks for your continued support and stay safe out there!