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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 07-11-2013, 08:03 PM:

Davis, Miller and Noel are 3 of our best Cats and hopefully they will do well with the Pelicans.

No team has had a more unorthodox offseason than the New Orleans Pelicans. After lucking into Anthony Davis last year, they seemed poised to build slowly through the draft, which has become the preferred method for small-market teams. When Nerlens Noel slipped to them at No. 6, the dream of a “Thin Towers” seemed alive. However, instead of hoarding picks and stockpiling players on rookie deals, they dealt Noel and their 2014 first-rounder to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jrue Holiday.

Combine the Holiday trade with the acquisition of Tyreke Evans and it’s clear New Orleans is trying to accelerate the rebuilding process. From a basketball perspective, it’s a somewhat odd decision for a 27-win team with a 20-year-old franchise player. Upon closer inspection, though, there is some method to their madness. There’s a model for what the Pelicans are doing, but it doesn’t come from the NBA. New Orleans is trying to be Kentucky South.

Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans feels like the type of team John Calipari would put together in Lexington. While Davis and Evans are the only ones who actually played for Calipari, the Pelicans are equipped to bring his style of play to the NBA. They have three guards who can create offense off the bounce, a versatile big man who prefers to play on the perimeter and an athletic edge on almost every team they will face.

The Pelicans have done a good job of filling out the rest of their rotation as well. In Ryan Anderson and Anthony Morrow, they have two of the best shooters in the business. Both should make a killing spotting up for transition 3’s, a favorite tactic of Calipari’s teams. Al-Farouq Aminu has never lived up to his draft spot, but his length and athleticism make him a useful player. Greg Stiemsma is another body upfront, giving them more bulk to defend the low post.

The other main concern is their lack of flexibility going forward, but they already have a pretty complete team. In comparing it to what they could have gotten in the draft, people are letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. On paper, Davis, Noel and a high 2014 pick is a potential juggernaut, but a front office who took Austin Rivers in the lottery is probably better off forgoing the draft. If they do get lucky with the ping-pong balls in 2014, the pick they traded has Top-5 protections.

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Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 07-11-2013, 10:15 PM:

I'll definitely be pulling for them

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 07-12-2013, 12:06 AM:

New Orleans traded Nerlens to Philly on draft night. He is not a Pelican.

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 07-12-2013, 09:15 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Trey Ball:
He is not a Pelican.

That's a statement you don't hear every day. [Smile]