Coach Willie Green has experimented with a lot of lineups with the New Orleans Pelicans this season.
The regular starting five of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Herb Jones and CJ McCollum have played just 100 minutes together and is the Pels most-used five-man group.
After, that no five player combination has played more than 43 minutes together, so New Orleans has used an array of players and configurations, a testament to their depth.
That depth got another boost last night with the introduction of rookie Dyson Daniels into the rotation. He played 17 impact minutes, grabbing nine rebounds, getting a block and a steal and not looking at all afraid of the moment.
He and Jose Alvarado were huge in the 4th quarter and their defense helped the Pels pull away for the win against the rival Grizzlies. Devonte’ Graham played just nine minutes as the 10th man off the bench, which is a move that should be permanent.
New Orleans Pelicans: Dyson Daniels is just better than Devonte’ Graham
Daniels has played sparingly so far in early in the season, but that should change, as he has made an impact every time he’s been in the game, something coach Green acknowledged after the rookie’s strong performance against Memphis:
#Pelicans Dyson Daniels making the most of his minutes, coach Green said yesterday Daniels has been extremely important to this team. "When he touches the floor... he's been helping us."
— Erin Summers (@ErinESummers) November 16, 2022
Daniels is the perfect type of role player for a team that already has a lot of guys who take shots, as he can affect the game without scoring, as he did last night. Graham can be an impact 3-point shooter, but he does nothing else and unlike Daniels, he needs the ball in his hands to be effective.
Daniels was a +13 off the bench last night and only scored three points, and he was a part of a trio that can be a defensive weapon for the New Orleans Pelicans:
The three-man group of Jose Alvarado, Dyson Daniels and Herb Jones played just over 8 minutes together:
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) November 16, 2022
Offensive rating: 105.9
Defensive rating: 77.8 https://t.co/3vm8axST1Y
Count me as someone who wants to see more minutes with the three of these guys on the floor together, especially when the Pelicans go small with either Larry Nance Jr. or Zion Williamson at the five.
Daniels gives the Pelicans a dimension that Graham does not, as he can defend several spots on the floor, as he showed last night when he effectively switched onto bigger players. He can also hold his own on the boards, which is how the Pelicans were able to get away with the 3-guard lineups they used effectively against Memphis.
It’s time that the rookie got an increased and permanent role in the rotation, as his defense and rebounding open up a lot of possibilities for the New Orleans Pelicans.