New Orleans Pelicans: Playoffs Have Revealed the Pels’ Biggest Need

Forget the backcourt, the New Orleans Pelicans need a big wing.

While there’s been plenty of talk around the future of three-fifths of the starting lineup, we can all agree that Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are two pillars to build upon for the New Orleans Pelicans.

I think that Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball should be given more time before a decision about that pairing is made.

The one need the Pelicans have this season is the addition of a wing who’s capable of defending on the perimeter, bring strong off-ball defense, and hit threes at a league-average rate.

As the playoffs continue we’ve seen countless examples these types of players make a huge impact game after game.

The NBA has become more and more dependent on big wings, as the best players in the league all seem to come from this mold. Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, Paul George and Jayson Tatum are just some examples of this type of player.

New Orleans however, doesn’t have anyone on the current roster built like them.

The New Orleans Pelicans aren’t equipped for the playoffs.

Jrue Holiday has often been the Pelican tasked with defending an opponent’s best player, whether they be a guard or a wing. While Holiday is an All-Defense caliber player he’s simply too short to stop guys like Kawhi over a postseason series.

Holiday is better served defending against scoring guards as he did against Damian Lillard during the 2018 playoffs.

Ingram has the height to stand with any of the marquee wings in the league right now but he isn’t strong enough not to be bullied when those guys drive to the rim. Zion is best suited to play free safety in New Orleans defense and sending shots 15 rows into the stands.

By adding a big wing to this Pelicans’ roster, the new head coach could unveil their version of Golden State’s Death Lineup. With the addition of a big wing next to Ingram and Zion in the frontcourt, the Pelicans could switch every screen on defense while leaving space for Zion to create in the post and rumble to the rim in transition.

Boston, Toronto, and Miami are full of these big wing types while still playing a traditional center and point guard at times. While Houston is using two of these guys, P.J. Tucker and Robert Covington, as their starting frontcourt. All of these teams can throw wave after wave of these wings at opponents throughout the course of a game.

Miami, in particular, is loaded with guys who range from 6’5″ to 6’9″ and can switch between multiple positions on defense. In Game 3  of their current playoff series against Milwaukee, six of the Heat’s ten players to get minutes were big wing types and they have consistently slowed Giannis Antetokounmpo during the series.

The sheer amount of players who fit this description makes it seem like the Pelicans should be able to find someone who fits the bill in free agency. Jae Crowder might be the best available free agent and there aren’t that many intriguing options after him in this free-agent class.

Another complicating factor with adding new players to the Pelicans is the still uncertain status of the salary cap next season and beyond.

What helps New Orleans in their pursuit of a big wing is the treasure trove of future draft picks that the Pelicans have at their disposal. If the front office can pinpoint a specific wing to target in a trade they certainly have the draft capital to acquire them.

My favorite option for the Pelicans to look at is Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic. Gordon has been an above-average defender for his entire career and is capable of defending both inside and on the perimeter. His offensive game has always left more to be desired but he’s shown the ability to be league average from three and play make from the post.

The biggest knock against Gordon is injuries, he seems to get hurt multiple times each season and they are mostly muscle injuries in his legs. On a team that was as hampered by injuries as New Orleans was this season, the addition of an injury-prone player might not go over well with the fans. But imagine the in-game dunks we’d get on a nightly basis with Gordon and Zion on the floor together.

Whether it is Gordon or someone else, the Pelicans must get bigger and better wing production if they want to compete with best teams in the West.