The New Orleans Pelicans completed a four-player trade with the Memphis Grizzlies that gave them more roster and salary cap flexibility. While it remains to be seen whether this will become one of Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver’s better moves, there’s at least one person who should benefit, and that’s Jordan Poole.
The Pelicans traded away shooting guards Jordan Hawkins and Micah Peavy, receiving forwards AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson in return.
Jordan Poole has a chance to carve out minutes off the bench
New Orleans had a logjam of shooting guards before this deal, leaving Poole a forgotten man. Their depth chart was getting so deep that I even suggested waiving Poole to open a roster spot and give the veteran a chance to play elsewhere.
Now the depth chart looks a little less crowded, and there may even be a scenario where Poole gets minutes off the bench.
While I don’t think Poole gets many minutes, if any at all, with a completely healthy roster, the chances of everyone staying healthy are slim to none. Either way, it will be interesting to see where Poole lands on the depth chart.
Unfortunately, injuries are a part of basketball. They have been a particularly big part of Pelicans basketball the last few seasons. There are bound to be some injuries, and this is the most likely opening for Poole to gain minutes.
Poole is a highly talented offensive player but doesn’t always fit in a team’s offensive scheme. He also doesn’t offer much beyond his scoring.
Last season was a particularly bad year for Poole, who averaged just 13.4 points per game, the lowest mark since his sophomore season with the Golden State Warriors. Poole’s shooting percentages also weren’t pretty. Poole shot just 37 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range.
If Poole doesn’t shoot more consistently, he may never get off the bench. He needs to play well in training camp and win over new head coach Jamahl Mosley, since he is heading into the final season of his contract. One way to do that would be to put in increased effort on the defensive side of the ball.
Micah Peavy, one of the players traded to the Grizzlies, is a very good defensive player. His role as a defensive stopper off the bench is now missing for the Pelicans. This may be a way for Poole to prove himself to Mosley and earn himself minutes.
Before the Pelicans trade with the Grizzlies it looked like it would take multiple injuries for Poole to get playing time. Now, Poole may need to pass just one player ahead of him on the depth chart for the veteran guard to get onto the court.
If Poole can reclaim some of the magic he had earlier in his career, he could find himself becoming a part of the Pelicans rotation.
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