New Orleans Pelicans: SVG should unleash the youth movement vs. OKC

The New Orleans Pelicans are a young team being led by a 20-year-old superstar in Zion Williamson.

The problem most fans have had with this season is that the Pels were stuck in the nether region between a full-blown youth movement and trying to make the playoffs, which many thought might happen after they brought in Steven Adams and replaced Jrue Holiday with Eric Bledsoe.

Some of the anger we have seen in the Pelicans’ fanbase has come from this lack of commitment to a full-on rebuild even though that was clearly necessary.

Tonight the New Orleans Pelicans take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second game of a back-to-back and it is the perfect time to unleash the youth movement and get some valuable developmental minutes for their young players.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Thunder: It’s time to face the truth

The Pelicans are now four games behind the Warriors for the final play-in spot and there are only ten games remaining.

Of course, three of them are against the Warriors, so it is not technically over, but it’s close. If the Pels lose any of those games against Golden State their remaining play-in hopes will be dashed.

Knowing this, why not use the final ten games to get some reps for players like Kira Lewis Jr. and Jaxson Hayes?

I have seen enough of Eric Bledsoe for this season and Steven Adams is battling an injury, so just shut them down and run with the kids.

Pelicans vs. Thunder: The Thunder are a G-League team

And what better team to do it against than the OKC Thunder, who are a glorified G-League team running out a lineup that features all teenagers and guys in their early 20’s?

The Pelicans should be able to win this game no matter who starts, so why not get Lewis Jr.  and Hayes a start? Why not roll with Naji Marshall as the primary backup?

This is the perfect game to get these guys extended minutes.

New Orleans Pelicans: Starting lineup vs. the Thunder

Here is the starting lineup I’d like to see Stan Van Gundy use tonight vs. the Thunder:

• PG- Kira Lewis Jr.
• SG/PG- Lonzo Ball
• SF- Brandon Ingram
• PF- Zion Williamson
• C- Jaxson Hayes

This would not only be a fun lineup that would give weary fans a reason to watch, but we need to get a better idea of how certain players might fit for the future.

Can Lewis Jr. and Lonzo Ball play together? Can Hayes and Zion run the pick-and-roll effectively? How about a little two-man game with Kira and Ingram?

There are still a lot of questions heading into the offseason that the Pelicans can start to answer.

There is really no reason to hold back at this point. Unleash the youth and let’s get the future started.