The New Orleans Pelicans hope Stan Van Gundy can recruit veteran free agents.
The New Orleans Pelicans aren’t going to have a lot of money to spend in free agency, which is why they hope Stan Van Gundy can recruit.
Van Gundy is very popular among veteran NBA players, many of whom have been on his teams, so he might be the deciding factor for free agents who are looking for a new home.
There are several former Van Gundy players who are eligible for free agency this offseason, and he might be able to convince them to come to New Orleans to chase titles with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball.
The Pelicans have several offseason needs that will be difficult to fill in free agency after they give Ingram a max contract extension, which is expected to happen.
Barring a big trade of Jrue Holiday, the Pelicans won’t have much cap space to use, which is why Van Gundy could be key in the recruitment process, especially when it comes to veterans.
Some may be willing to take slightly less money to play for a coach they like or to join an ascending young team with a ton of talent.
The Pels could use some depth at the forward position, preferably someone who can defend and has the size to take on some of the giant wings in the Western Conference.
They could also use a center, preferably a veteran who can start and play a lot of minutes while Jaxson Hayes is still learning the position.
The Pelicans will also need a backup point guard if they let restricted free agency Frank Jackson walk.
Here are three guys Stan Van Gundy might be able to recruit who could fill some of the New Orleans Pelicans’ needs.
New Orleans Pelicans: Stan Van Gundy could recruit free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Stan Van Gundy loves 3-and-D players and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has proven he is a pretty good one.
He was crucial to the Los Angeles Lakers’ title, mostly due to his ability to defend multiple positions and knock down timely 3-point shots.
KCP has already announced he will decline his player option this offseason and become an unrestricted free agent.
Unless the Pelicans made a trade, it would be unlikely that they could afford KCP, especially if he gets a raise from his team-friendly contract from this season.
However, he did have his best years under Stan Van Gundy and would be a welcome addition to a Pelicans team that needs to get longer and better on defense. The addition of KCP would allow the Pelicans to potentially trade Jrue Holiday, add some more roster depth and save a ton of cap space.
Van Gundy loved KCP when he was in Detroit, playing him huge minutes even though he wasn’t very good offensively. Pope has improved on that end, especially his efficiency and 3-point shooting, so would fit very well in Van Gundy’s system.
KCP is a longshot but he thrived under Van Gundy and would be a nice basketball fit with the New Orleans Pelicans.
New Orleans Pelicans: Stan Van Gundy could recruit free agent Marcus Morris
Marcus Morris
The New Orleans Pelicans need to get better defensively on the wing, but they also need some toughness.
They got pushed around by the bigger Western Conference teams and need to get some players who relish contact and defense.
Enter Marcus Morris.
Morris actually had his best all-around season this year, so he too might come with a price tag the New Orleans Pelicans won’t be able to afford.
But if they do clear some space, a versatile 3-and-D forward who can defend multiple positions is something they desperately need.
Van Gundy and Morris are very familiar with each other, as SVG coached him in Detroit, where Morris had two of his best seasons.
Morris isn’t a great athlete but he can defend all over the floor and would give the Pelicans a tough 3-and-D player that Van Gundy always liked.
Would Morris take less to be reunited with his old coach in a great situation? Probably not, but he is an interesting one to watch.
New Orleans Pelicans: Stan Van Gundy could recruit free agent Aron Baynes
Aron Baynes
Ideally, the New Orleans Pelicans could find a fairly cheap, veteran center to take some of the minutes from Jaxson Hayes.
If this person was big, could defend the other team’s interior players and could stretch the floor for Zion Williamson, even better.
Enter Aron Baynes.
Baynes is not as good a rebounder or defender as Derrick Favors, but he does other things that Favors cannot do, namely shoot the 3-point shot and spread the floor.
He should also be a lot cheaper, so the Pelicans could potentially sign Baynes and still have some cap space depending on how their offseason shakes out. The big Aussie has improved from behind-the-arc, remaking himself as a stretch-five in Boston, where he had some huge games.
He shot 35 percent from 3-point range, which is very good for a center and would potentially clear some space for Zion to operate in the post.
Baynes isn’t much of a shot-blocker, but he has a big body, which he uses effectively to push shooters off their spots.
Baynes played under Van Gundy for two seasons in Detroit and SVG was the first coach to give him a chance, so Baynes might like to reunite in New Orleans. Now that he can shoot, he’d be even more of a weapon in Van Gundy’s offense.
None of these three free agents are going to be the final piece of the puzzle, but they are all solid players who fill a need for the Pels.
Let’s hope SVG can use his contacts to recruit some quality veteran free agents to improve the New Orleans Pelicans’ depth.