New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Things this Core is Missing

The New Orleans Pelicans need more production from the bench.

Another thing that has stood out in the playoffs is how much low-cost production the good teams get from their bench.

Teams like the Clippers, Mavericks, Lakers, Bucks, Raptors and Celtics all get something from guys who are not eating up their cap.

The Pelicans got virtually nothing from their low-cost players, with Josh Hart as the only real low-cost producer off the bench.

When you consider that Darius Miller and Lou Williams are making almost the same money this year, you can see how wasteful the Pelicans were with their bench.

The Pelicans need to let all of these guys walk (with maybe the exception of Frank Jackson) and replace them with players who actually produce.

They can’t have a bench full of Kenrich Williams, Jahlil Okafor, Darius Miller, E’Twaun Moore, Nicolo Melli-type players if they want to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

This will be VP David Griffin’s first full season to put his stamp on the team and he needs to start by filling out the bench with some low-cost veterans who can actually play.

The Pels core is the envy of the league, but they still lack rim protection, toughness and bench production if they want to be a consistent contender.

The Western Conference won’t be any easier next season and if the Pels want to get better, they need to add to their core.