New Orleans Pelicans: What to do with Kenny Hustle?

The New Orleans Pelicans have a number of interesting decisions to make on their own restricted free agents, including wing Kenrich Williams.

With the NBA in prolonged lockdown, the salary cap is likely to plummet, which will affect every team in the NBA, including the New Orleans Pelicans.

With less money to spend on free agents, some teams are going to turn to internal fixes for their problems, which may mean re-signing more of their own guys.

The New Orleans Pelicans have a slew of middling free agents, including Derrick Favors, E’Twaun Moore, Jahlil Okafor, and Frank Jackson, whose days with the team are probably numbered.

Jackson is the only one with a realistic chance of returning, as the others have either played their way off the team or will be too pricey for the Pelicans.

They also have two wings in Darius Miller and Kenrich Williams who present more challenging cases. Both could potentially fill a need for the Pelicans, but one, Miller is probably too expensive at $7 million for next season.

The Pelicans have until July 8th to waive Miller before his contract becomes fully guaranteed, and after missing the entire season with injury, it won’t be surprising if the Pelicans let him walk.

That leaves Williams, aka Kenny Hustle.

Williams is an interesting case, as like Miller, he fills a need on paper. However, also like Miller, he has missed significant time with injury and has not yet proven himself on the court, where the games are actually played.

The “on paper” fit will only get you so far.

The New Orleans Pelicans are not likely to have much cap space barring a trade, so may turn to players they know rather than take on a new risk in free agency.

Will they re-sign Kenrich Williams? A case can be made either way.