Category: Pelicans

Pelicans vs. Nets Preview: An intriguing match-up without star power

The New Orleans Pelicans will look to break their 12-game losing streak on Tuesday as they host the Kyrie Irving-less Brooklyn Nets.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets

When: Tuesday, Dec. 17, 8:00 p.m ET

Where: Smoothie King Center

How to watch: Fox Sports New Orleans

The Pelicans and Nets meet for the second time this season and present two teams with similar circumstances and different paths.

Both sides have been hurt by injuries this season, though Brooklyn’s injuries have been a higher quality than New Orleans’ quantity of injuries. While Kevin Durant will be out for the season, Kyrie Irving has missed 15 games and counting with a shoulder injury.

In his absence, the Nets have stayed afloat, sitting at 14-12 on the season and seventh in the Eastern Conference. Compared to the Pelicans, who have missed Zion Williamson since the end of preseason, Brooklyn serves as an alternate timeline for how the Pelicans’ season may have went in a different year.

In Irving’s absence, Spencer Dinwiddie has stepped up, averaging 21 points per game on 43 percent shooting from the field with 6.2 assists.

The Nets have been almost exactly average this season, sitting at 16th in offensive rating at 108.2 and 15th in defensive rating at 108.2 for a 0.0 net rating, which is unsurprisingly 15th in the league. In Irving’s absence, the Nets have a net rating of 2.0 over the last 15 games, ranking them 13th.

In the previous meeting this season, Irving dropped 39 points in a 135-125 win over New Orleans. Without Derrick Favors, the Pelicans were led on the night offensively by Brandon Ingram’s 40 points. Lonzo Ball chipped in 15 points.

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Pelicans willing to trade Jrue Holiday for ‘significant amount’

The New Orleans Pelicans are listening to trade offers for Jrue Holiday.

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Before the season started, New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin made the bold statement that Jrue Holiday was capable of being an MVP candidate if he wanted to be. Griffin also made it a point to say that the Pelicans were Holiday’s team, as opposed to Zion Williamson or Lonzo Ball.

Now two months into the season, the Pelicans are 6-21 — tied for the second-worst record in the NBA — and Holiday no longer fits the timeline of the Pelicans, who seem to be head for a full-fledged rebuild. It’s for that reason the Pelicans have made Holiday available in trade talks, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times, but the price will be steep:

The decision to make Holiday available was probably made easier by the fact that the Pelicans have a trio of young guards — Lonzo Ball, Frank Jackson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker — on their roster. They could make that trio even more enticing next summer by adding a top point guard prospect like LaMelo Ball or Cole Anthony.

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As for Holiday, he’s the type of player that can plug and play just about anywhere in the league, and with how watered down the 2020 NBA free agency class is expected to be, Holiday’s trade value will be higher than it was last season. If the Pelicans do move on from Holiday before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6, the return will likely include a first-round pick.

Stay tuned for updates on the teams that will be interested in Holiday.

Woj: Contenders monitoring what Pelicans do with Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick

If the New Orleans Pelicans make Jrue Holiday and JJ Redick available, there will be no shortage of interest in them.

With the NBA trade deadline less than two months away, the league is slowly starting to break into two groups: Buyers and sellers. Unless the New Orleans Pelicans are confident that Zion Williamson can dig them out of a 15-game hole upon his return, they will likely be sellers at the trade deadline, and teams have already shown interest in two of their key veterans.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, teams are monitoring whether or not the Pelicans will make Jrue Holiday and JJ Redick available in the midst of their 6-21 start to the season:

“Jrue Holiday has loved being in New Orleans. He’s embraced that town, but he’s at a point in his career, too, where he’s not going to be interested in a rebuild. It’s becoming that, so I think you’re going to see a lot of the league here wanting to see Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick — who signed a two-year deal. There’s not a contender in the league who wouldn’t love to get JJ Redick on their roster. So I think [teams will] watch how this plays out in New Orleans between now and the first of the year, ’cause most of the teams are watching to see if they can get at some of those guys.”

Given the general direction of the franchise, it makes some sense for the Pelicans to move on from Holiday and Redick. The Pelicans employ nine guards and while Holiday and Redick might be the best of the bunch, they’re also the oldest. In fact, Holiday and Redick are the only guards on New Orleans’ roster over the age of 25.

Between Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Frank Jackson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kenrich Williams, the Pelicans have enough guards on the roster to make due without Holiday and Redick. That’s not to mention the picks or young prospects they’d get in return for Holiday and Redick.

The alternative would be to try and flip one of their younger guards for an asset or assets — most notably Lonzo Ball. Ball has been an awkward fit alongside Holiday in the backcourt, so if the Pelicans are committed to Holiday, they may need to move on from Ball.

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One thing’s clear: With how crowded the backcourt is, the Pelicans will need to move someone before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6.

Alvin Gentry hopes moving Lonzo Ball to bench will improve ‘overall flow’ of team

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry hopes that Lonzo Ball will bring a stabilizing presence to the team’s second unit.

For the last four games, New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry has brought Lonzo Ball off the bench in favor of second-year wing Kenrich Williams. The change to the starting lineup hasn’t resulted in any more wins for the Pelicans, but Gentry is hopeful that his decision will garner results sooner rather than later.

Before the Pelicans tipped off against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, Gentry said that he’s hoping that having Ball run the second unit will give his team the boost they need to break their 12-game losing streak:

But while the change hasn’t had much of an affect on the second unit, it’s made the first unit better. In 82 minutes together, the five-man lineup of Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick, Williams, Brandon Ingram and Jaxson Hayes has posted a net rating of +17.4. For context, the five-man lineup of Ball, Holiday, Redick, Ingram and Hayes has posted a net rating of -13.2 in 58 minutes together.

The hope is that the roster will look more balancer and, most of all, better once Zion Williamson returns to the fold, and if it doesn’t, changes will likely need to be made. With the type of impact — or lack thereof — that Ball has made on the Pelicans to start the season, he may end up being one of the first names they consider moving.

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The trade deadline is on Feb. 6.

Pelicans vs. Magic Recap: The good, the bad and the Ball

The Pelicans’ losing streak reached 12 games on Sunday afternoon with a 130-116 loss at home to the Orlando Magic.

The Pelicans’ losing streak reached 12 games on Sunday afternoon with a 130-116 loss at home to the Orlando Magic.

The Good: The time of the game

Much like last weekend’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the good news for Sunday’s loss is that it happened in the afternoon with plenty of time to do other things on the day. The Pelicans were in the game for most of the first half but then were outscored 41-27 in the third and never could make up the deficit in the fourth.

The Bad: The effort

It’s been a reoccurring problem for much of the losing streak, but on Sunday in the second half, the effort was terrible. The meltdown was highlighted by Josh Hart’s technical and a pair of technicals and an ejection from Alvin Gentry.

It’s the same old song and dance with this team currently. A handful of good quarters are wholly undone by either a stretch or even a full quarter of bad play. At a certain point, questions about Gentry’s role in their lacklusterness should be asked.

The Ball: Start fast, finish slow

Lonzo Ball’s play on the night mirrored that of the Pelicans on the night. The Pelicans started fast and so did Ball as he had one of his best halves of the season. But he followed it with a half that is becoming all too common for him and the team as he drifted and had little impact.

At the end of the day, he finished with a stat line of nine points, six assists and five rebounds on 3-of-7 shooting overall and 2-of-4 shooting from deep. But that stat line is deceiving for all the reasons lifted above.

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Report: Teams ‘monitoring’ Derrick Favors as trade target

The next handful of weeks, though, could serve as an audition for Derrick Favors and a potential suitor in the trade market.

When the New Orleans Pelicans acquired Derrick Favors this summer, the idea was that he would be seen as a missing piece for the Pelicans and potentially an integral part of a darkhorse playoff contender.

Instead, Favors’ struggles this year have mirrored those of New Orleans as a whole. Favors returned to the lineup on Friday in a loss to Philadelphia after a lengthy break following the death of his mother. The next handful of weeks, though, could serve as an audition for Favors and a potential suitor in the trade market.

From Heavy’s Sean Deveney:

According to league sources, one of the more disappointing players on one of the league’s more disappointing teams—Derrick Favors of the Pelicans—is being “monitored” by several teams. There’s still no indication that New Orleans, with Favors having missed time because of back spasms and the death of his mother, will raise a metaphorical white flag, sell off veteran pieces and look ahead to next season.

On the year, Favors has a net rating of -3.7, one that isn’t inspiring on the surface. However, that mark is the third-best on the Pelicans this season with Jaxson Hayes and Kenrich Williams the only two players with better figures. Interestingly, it’s the offense that plays better with Favors on the floor as his 109.0 rating on that end is second to only JJ Redick’s 109.5 offensive rating in New Orleans.

But while Favors has been valuable this season, each loss for the Pelicans drops them further and further from contention and closer to trades. Hayes’ performance this season has also made Favors more expendable. Drafted No. 8 overall in last year’s draft, Hayes has exceeded expectations and played his way into regular minutes this season.

Add in the fact Favors is an expiring deal and the likely conclusion is that he’ll be dealt. As a solid defensive big man, he’ll certainly have a market and could still yet net the Pelicans value on his way out.

Pelicans vs. Sixers Recap: The good, the bad and the Ball

A slow first quarter proved too costly on a night when the Pelicans battled one of the Eastern Conference’s elite on the road until the very end before falling to the Sixers on Friday, 116-109.

A slow first quarter proved too costly on a night when the Pelicans battled one of the Eastern Conference’s elite on the road until the very end before falling to the Sixers on Friday, 116-109.

The Good: The fight

Too often in the Pelicans’ current now 11-game losing streak, the team has rolled over and played dead after falling behind by double digits. That appeared to be what the case was going to be on Friday when Philly jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first half but New Orleans rallied in a big way.

A 7-0 run to close the first half cut a 12-point lead down to five and set the stage for a close second half. Moral victories are not going to turn the season around but considering where the Pelicans are currently, they should be a welcome change.

Honorable mention: Brandon Ingram (yet again), Derrick Favors’ return, the lack of turnovers

The Bad: Another loss

Moral victories don’t end double-digit losing streaks. It was always a daunting task for New Orleans to get its first win in weeks against the Sixers on the road but the first-quarter performance doomed them from the start. From the second quarter on, the Pelicans outscored Philly 84-77. That doesn’t matter as much when you lose the first quarter by double-digits.

But in the search of positives, if the team can replicate the performance from the final three quarters on Friday when they play the Magic on Sunday, it should lead to a rare win.

Honorable mentions: The offense outside of Ingram, the defense on Tobias Harris

The Ball: A quiet night

Lonzo Ball was mainly a pedestrian on the night. He finished with six points, three assists and two rebounds with a steal and a turnover. It wasn’t even necessarily a poor shooting night as he only attempted six shots and made two of them, including going 1-of-3 from three.

These are the nights Ball has to avoid. At times, he just drifted around the court and was a total non-factor. In the past, those could be times when he’d make an impact defensively to spark his game. Those moments have been totally non-existent this season.

Pelicans vs. Sixers Preview: The finished process and the current process

The New Orleans Pelicans will look to break their 10-game losing streak on the road on Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans at Philadelphia 76ers

When: Friday, Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m ET

Where: Wells Fargo Center

How to watch: Fox Sports New Orleans

The Pelicans’ current losing streak could not come at a worse time. After a loss to league-best Milwaukee on Wednesday, New Orleans faces the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference in Philadelphia on Friday.

Without Zion Williamson and Derrick Favors, the Pelicans have lacked defense at the rim for much of the current losing streak. Over the last 10 games, the Pelicans are 28th in the league in defending the rim.

The Sixers have the perfect combination to exploit that. On the season, Philadelphia is fifth in the league in field goal percentage at the rim at 64.7 percent with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid leading the charge.

Philadelphia also has a shooting percentage of 43.9 percent on corner three-pointers, the second-best mark on the year, while also shooting the fourth-best percentage on three-pointers overall in the league at 38.1 percent. New Orleans allows the 10th-most corner three-pointers while also being 26th in defending the three-point line.

On paper, one of the few areas the Pelicans could exploit in the match-up comes on corner three-pointers on the other end of the court. New Orleans shoots 42.6 percent on those shots, the third-best mark in the league. Philadelphia gives up the fewest corner three-pointers but teams shoot 43.0 percent on those shots, ranking Philly 24th in the league in defending that specific shot.

It’s a very, very small light on what has been a dark time in New Orleans as they look for an improbable upset to end their losing streak.

Could LaMelo Ball land with the New Orleans Pelicans and brother Lonzo Ball?

As the New Orleans Pelicans continue free falling, the possibility of landing LaMelo Ball in the 2020 NBA Draft is increasing in likelihood.

The New Orleans Pelicans were not expected to find themselves near the top of the draft lottery this season. LaMelo Ball was not expected to be in contention for the top pick this upcoming spring. But circumstances playing out the way they have leaves an intriguing possibility playing itself out.

After Thursday night’s results, the Pelicans find themselves tied for the third spot in the draft lottery. That fall has been the result of 10-game losing skid New Orleans finds itself in the midst of, the latest loss coming at the hands of Milwaukee.

Under the new lottery system which began last season, if the Pelicans land in the third spot, they would have a 14 percent chance of landing the top pick, the same odds as the teams in first and second. The teams in fourth and fifth would hold 12.5 percent and 10.5 percent odds at the top pick, respectively.

Overall, the Pelicans would have a 63.6 percent at staying in the top five. New Orleans could also fall no lower than seventh.

Which brings Ball into the equation. The latest DraftExpress mock draft saw Ball rise to the top spot overall. His play in the National Basketball League has been stellar. In his last two outings, he notched back-to-back triple-doubles.

However, a foot injury not only sidelined Ball for the team’s last game but also will keep him out of action for four weeks. That will likely keep Ball off the court until January. Coincidentally, James Wiseman, one of the prospects expected to challenge Ball for the top spot, will return to the court on Jan. 12 for Memphis after an NCAA-imposed suspension.

Roughly the same, though a specific timeframe is unknown, Zion Williamson will return to the court for the Pelicans. His absence has played a huge role in the team’s slow start to the season. His return will provide a huge boost for the Pelicans which will almost certainly lead to more wins.

Where the Pelicans stand in the lottery at that point will determine how high they rise in the lottery as a result of those wins. It’s all a bunch of spinning wheels that are yet to be set and will certainly have many more twists and turns before season’s end. But, for now, the possibility remains the two-thirds of the Ball brothers could reunite for the first time since Chino Hills.

Pelicans vs. Bucks Recap: The Good, the Bad and the Ball

The Milwaukee Bucks handled the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 127-112.

The New Orleans Pelicans never really stood a chance against the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks on the road, losing 127-112 on Wednesday. Here was the good, the bad and the Ball from the game.

The Good: The Bucks

With a win on Wednesday, the Bucks are still tied for the best record in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers. While having the reigning league MVP on their team certainly hasn’t made their season hard, the team’s front office also did a good job of keeping the core pieces together in the offseason and replacing the hole left by Malcolm Brogdon.

If the Bucks aren’t in the NBA Finals next year, it would be genuinely surprising.

The Bad: The Pelicans

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Pelicans hold the second-worst record in the Western Conference and the fourth-worst record in the NBA. It’s not so much that the players themselves are bad — it has more to do with the fact that they’re not particularly deep and head coach Alvin Gentry hasn’t been able to find which lineups maximize the talent he does have.

The season may already be lost, but there’s still plenty for the organization to figure out throughout the rest of the season.

The Ball

Lonzo Ball ended his night with with six points on 22.2% from the field, six assists and five rebounds per game. Suffice to say, he’s had better nights. However, he did manage to poke away a game-high four steals.

Ball and the Pelicans will look to bounce back against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.