New Orleans Pelicans: 3 players who Underperformed in 2019-20
The New Orleans Pelicans got big numbers out of much of their roster, but there were guys who didn’t perform as well as expected.
The New Orleans Pelicans entered the season with nearly an entirely new roster, so it was difficult to predict how they would perform.
After the early season injury to Zion Williamson, people basically wrote the Pelicans off, especially after they started the season with a 6-22 record.
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With injuries and an influx of young players, most fans would have been ok if the New Orleans Pelicans tanked their way through another lost season waiting for Zion to return.
But the Pelicans didn’t quit on coach Alvin Gentry, who has to be given some credit for the turnaround that got the Pels back into playoff contention.
Guys like Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Zion and Jrue Holiday not only met expectations but exceeded them, but there were several Pelicans who underperformed as well.
Here are three guys the New Orleans Pelicans wish they could have gotten more out of in the 2019-20 season.
Jahlil Okafor, Center
One of the biggest needs this offseason will be a backup center and this is primarily because Jahlil Okafor did not live up to expectations.
Okafor had a mini-renaissance in 2018-19, playing 15.8 minutes a game and averaging 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. Okafor even started 24 games and looked poised to be a solid contributor in 2019-20 off the Pelicans’ bench.
The resurgence was short-lived, as Okafor only appeared in 28 games for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019-20 and his numbers went down in every category.
No one was expecting Okafor to be an All-Star, but the Pelicans lacked interior scoring off their bench that they hoped Okafor would provide.
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Okafor has a one-dimensional offensive game that doesn’t match with what the New Orleans Pelicans like to do and he plays little defense, so his value to this team is practically nothing.
Okafor was hoping for another bounce back season but instead may have played his way off the team and possibly even out of the league.