Pelica Debrief
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New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Free Agents to Toughen the Roster

By Nick Alvarez

The New Orleans Pelicans should look for tougher players to fill out their rotation, like Moe Harkless (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Pelicans should look for tougher players to fill out their rotation, like Moe Harkless (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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Considering low-cost free agents who can add toughness to the New Orleans Pelicans roster

I love playoff basketball, it’s as simple as that. Seeing the intensity teams play with when the games matter and the pace slows down, there’s nothing better. Right now, the New Orleans Pelicans are not equipped to play that style of basketball.

That could be part of the reason they flopped in the bubble. When looking at this year’s playoff teams, several rotation players are there to add grit and intensity to their teams.

I’m talking about guys like Jae Crowder in Miami, Daniel Theis in Boston, and Alex Caruso in Los Angeles. These guys aren’t superstars, they’re scrappers.

When the games slow down in the playoffs and things get tough these players become committed to the fight. They go to work in competitive games by doing the little things.

These players make their living diving for loose balls and bullying their way inside for rebounds. In my opinion, these were the type of players the New Orleans Pelicans lacked this season, and instead of trying to add more star power the team’s front office should focus on adding toughness.

Luckily the New Orleans Pelicans organization is now led by David Griffin who spent a lot of time in Cleveland adding tough role-players to surround LeBron James. If David Griffin and the Pelicans front office follow that strategy during this offseason here are three tough veterans they should target.