New Orleans Pelicans: Does this team have a leader?
Stan Van Gundy has been noticeably exasperated on the Pelicans’ bench lately and spends most of the game pulling down his mask so he can scream at his players.
Other than that, you barely hear a peep from the Pelicans. Their three best players, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball rarely speak or communicate with teammates.
Not every player has to be a vocal leader, and personally I prefer guys who lead by example, not with their mouths, but the Pels desperately need someone to step up and lead this team.
They need a guy who is not afraid to get in his teammates’ faces and demand some effort and accountability for their complete and total lack of focus.
They need some one to bang some heads, break a wall, throw a chair, something that shows this team actually cares about what is happening.
Josh Hart is the closest thing the Pelicans have to this type of guy but he is a bench player and might be on his way out the door anyway.
Lonzo Ball is the most likely candidate for this duty, but he has never been that kind of guy, so the Pelicans may have to look outside of their own roster for leadership.
When you watch the way guys like Chris Paul lead their teams, it’s easy to see that the Pelicans are lacking this type of veteran who can get the attention of the young guys.
This was an embarrassing loss to be sure, and the New Orleans Pelicans can either let it destroy what is left of their season or use it as fire to improve. We shall see.