3 potentially devastating small-ball lineups the Pelicans can unleash
The New Orleans Pelicans have a loaded roster with a lot of versatility and potential lineup combinations.
Willie Green recognized that this a “good problem to have” as competition for minutes is a good thing, and the Pelicans’ recent history shows that a team can never have too much depth.
Versatility is particularly important in today’s NBA, which is becoming increasingly more position-less and requires player who can defend more than one spot on the floor.
The Pelicans have a lot of those types of players with guys like Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy III, Larry Nance Jr, Brandon Ingram and Dyson Daniels all able to move around on the perimeter and in the post.
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This could lead to the Pelicans unleashing some small-ball lineups that could be very difficult to stop. It will also help them to match up more effectively with teams like the Suns and Warriors, both of which used small-ball effectively at times last season to cause mismatches on the perimeter.
The Pelicans have a lot of different options.
New Orleans Pelicans: Larry Nance Jr. at center
One small-ball lineup that I am sure will get plenty of run is one where center Jonas Valanciunas is replaced by Nance Jr. who is a much-more versatile defender:
- CJ McCollum
- Brandon Ingram
- Herb Jones
- Zion Williamson
- Larry Nance Jr.
The versatility of Jones, as well as Nance Jr.’s ability to defend both the four and the five will allow the Pels to use this lineup without getting killed in the post or on the perimeter.
Nance Jr.s ability to spread and run the floor from the five spot make this a wide-open offensive team with more space for their scorers to operate.
Everyone in this group can switch onto a guard and the length of Ingram and Jones will shut down a lot of passing lanes.