The New Orleans Pelicans are watching their playoffs hopes start to slip away, which is why they should be keeping an eye on the future.
The Pelicans need to remake their bench, that much is clear, as it is the biggest weakness of the team and killing them in each and every game.
The Pels can’t hold leads because the bench is terrible, which leads to a lot more pressure being put on the starters, which has taken its toll on guys like Brandon Ingram, who tends to wear down as the game goes on.
The good news is that Zion Williamson has been spectacular and he and Brandon Ingram very much look like franchise cornerstones.
The New Orleans Pelicans don’t need drastic changes, which is why I am against trading Lonzo Ball unless an even better defender comes back in the trade.
The Pels really just need the right types of role players to put around Zion Williamson, and they might be able to find some in free agency in the upcoming offseason.
Here are six low-cost guys that would add skills that the Pelicans need to balance their roster and improve their bench.
New Orleans Pelicans: Torrey Craig and Stanley Johnson would add wing depth
Torry Craig: Craig was a guy I thought the Pelicans should have pursued in the offseason, as he has good size for the wing and could have helped the Pelicans woeful defense.
He has not played much for Milwaukee, but I guarantee he’d get minutes for the Pelicans, who desperately need players who hustle, play defense and don’t care about their stats.
Craig fits the bill and if they can get him on a veteran’s minimum, he could provide low-cost bench depth and defense. This was a guy who was playing big minutes in the Finals last year and would also provide some toughness and experience.
Stanley Johnson: I’ve been laughed at many times for suggesting this but it looks like Stanley Johnson might finally be figuring things out in Toronto.
Johnson has always had the size and skillset to be a good wing defender who can guard multiple spots but he is starting to shoot and pass the ball better as well. He is shooting 41 percent from 3-point range this season (albeit on a low number of attempts) and might be worth a minimum deal if the New Orleans Pelicans still need depth on the wing heading into next season.