The New Orleans Pelicans have won three-and-a-row and we are seeing signs of the team we thought they could be entering the season.
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have been stars all season and lately Lonzo Ball has emerged as the third scoring option.
When Lonzo plays well, the Pelicans are a dangerous team even though their bench has still been awful.
J.J. Redick has hit some shots in the last few games but Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaxson Hayes and Nicolo Melli have been benched in favor of Willy Hernangomez and Kira Lewis Jr.
The results have been mixed but the Pels’ bench is still a negative and needs to be upgraded if the Pelicans want to be in the chase for a playoff spot.
They are only 1.5 games behind the 8th-seed Warriors and that is with the worst bench in the NBA, so if the Pels can get some bench depth, they have a solid chance of moving up the ranks of the Western Conference.
Here is what they need.
New Orleans Pelicans: The Pels need wing depth
The New Orleans Pelicans do not have a backup for Brandon Ingram, as they don’t really have another small forward on the roster.
Josh Hart can play that role and he can defend multiple spots but it would be nice if the Pels could get a bigger wing who can defend to backup Ingram.
Quality wing players are not easy to come by, but the Pels have possible trade assets in Redick, Hayes and NAW who could be packaged with some picks to get some size on the wing.
If the Pels could get a 3-and-D type with some length, it would help balance the roster and give them a better chance against the huge teams in the West.
New Orleans Pelicans: The Pels could use a veteran point guard
The NAW experiment in New Orleans has been wildly inconsistent this season but mostly bad, and it appears he has now lost his rotation spot to rookie Kira Lewis Jr. for the time being.
Lewis Jr. has been solid so far when it comes to taking care of the ball and setting up his teammates for shots. His own offense has been shaky and he is still learning on defense, so it’s not clear if he’s ready for an extended role.
If the Pels want to make a run at the playoffs, they may need to bolster their depth at point guard by adding a veteran. It doesn’t have to be a big name or even someone who will play big minutes but the Pels could use a player with some experience.
If Lewis Jr. steps up and grabs this new role, the Pels may not need anything else. They could just roll with the youngster and see what happens. He could get some valuable reps in the process, so the Pels don’t have to do anything soon.
But if they are climbing the standings and think the playoffs are in reach, it would be smart to add another veteran for the bench as the third point guard.
The Pels young backcourt has potential but they lack the experience that this team may need down the stretch.
The New Orleans Pelicans need a big who can shoot
Stan Van Gundy’s offense often starts with Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram handling the ball.
They need shooters to create spacing and so far they haven’t found one. Redick is showing signs but started the season slowly, Hart is shooting below his career average from 3-point range and NAW and Melli have been terrible.
If the Pels could get a big who could stretch the floor a bit, it would help alleviate some of the scoring issues they are having, especially in the second unit.
I suggested a guy like Danilo Gallinari, who is a 40 percent 3-point shooter and runs the pick-and-roll as well as any big.
But there are other guys out there who could help, so the Pels don’t have to make a splashy move, but if they could give up one of their young guys and a pick or two for an impact shooter with some height, they should consider it.
The New Orleans Pelicans look to be turning things around and could be players in the West if they can just upgrade their bench depth and/or shooting.