New Orleans Pelicans: Lofty goals for each of the team’s starters in 2021

Steven Adams should attempt to have a career year and become the solution to the New Orleans Pelicans interior defense while garnering some All-Defensive votes

Steven Adams- Be an elite interior defender

It was really tough to find a goal for Steven Adams that’s both lofty and attainable. On one hand, I don’t think we’ve seen Adams play the best ball of career yet but on the other, how much better can we reasonably expect him to be?

That’s why I decided to give Adams a simpler goal with the stipulation of reaching a higher one. I think what most fans should want, is for Steven Adams to become the team’s answer on the defensive interior.

Last season, the Pelicans were one of the worst teams in the NBA when it came to defending the paint, and truthfully with not much help around Anthony Davis, they haven’t been a quality defensive front for a while. Steven Adams can change that.

When the Pelicans acquired Adams, we wrote about how he’s been a dominant interior defender for parts of his career. He doesn’t put up gaudy shot-blocking numbers, but he knows how to defend with fundamentals and shutdown opposing teams when they attack.

For Steven Adams, his goal should be to continue being himself and producing that consistent defense. I’ll add in that now that he’ll be playing in Stan Van Gundy’s scheme I wouldn’t be surprised if his play on both ends of the floor takes a bit of a leap and Adams could push for either an All-Star or All-Defensive nod with strong play.

So there it is, some high goals for sure, but if even some of these players can achieve these heights, we could be talking about this year’s New Orleans Pelicans as one of the most exciting teams in the NBA.