New Orleans Pelicans: Who Starts Alongside Anthony Davis
New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said only Anthony Davis is assured a starting spot; so who may we see start next to him opening night?
Jan 23, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry talks to forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first half of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The New Orleans Pelicans head into the regular season with a lot of questions marks. Head coach Alvin Gentry needs to figure out his rotation, as it is currently unsettled. More importantly, who will start games along with Anthony Davis?
The Pelicans’ franchise cornerstone is the only sure thing in the starting lineup right now. Gentry said so himself when talking to the media prior to the Pelicans first preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks.
With that being said, who should we expect to see in the starting lineup come October 26th when the Pelicans begin the regular season against the Denver Nuggets?
For the first preseason game, Davis was joined by free-agent signings E’Twaun Moore, Langston Galloway and Solomon Hill; along with holdover Alexis Ajinca.
Gentry made it clear that things are very likely to change throughout the preseason, as he will shuffle around different combinations of players and lineups.
Gentry has a lot of time to decide who the starting lineup will be, as there is plenty of minutes available. Jrue Holiday will be away from the team while his wife recovers from brain surgery.
Tyreke Evans is recovering from a right knee injury, while Quincy Pondexter recovers from a left knee injury. Add in Ryan Anderson leaving as a free agent and the Pelicans will look very different at the beginning of the season.
There are multiple weeks to figure out the starting lineup alongside Davis, but it is never too early to make some predictions. Check out the slideshow predicting who will join Davis in the starting five for the Pelicans.
Oct 1, 2016; Bossier City, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Tim Frazier (2) with head coach Alvin Gentry during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Point Guard
The Pelicans added some players here in free agency, signing E’Twaun Moore away from the Chicago Bulls and Langston Galloway away from the New York Knicks.
Both are better suited as combo guards and it would be surprising to see them starting at point guard for the Pelicans once the regular season rolls around.
Instead, this is a role that Tim Frazier should fill. Frazier has shown the Pelicans what he can do, as he averaged 29.3 minutes per game in 16 appearances with the Pelicans last season.
In those 16 games, Frazier was productive with 13.1 points, 7.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
It was the first time in his career that he had a chance to show his skills and he took full advantage. He continued that success in the first preseason game off the bench, scoring 10 points with nine assists and, most importantly, zero turnovers.
Frazier is a pure point guard, the only one the Pelicans have other than Quinn Cook. Expect Frazier to be running the show as long as Holiday is sidelined.
Oct 1, 2016; Bossier City, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Buddy Hield (24) reacts to a made 3-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Shooting Guard
The Pelicans used the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft on Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield. Teams do not select people that high in the draft and have them sit.
Hield is one of the most NBA-ready players in this year’s draft class and the Pelicans should see what they have right from the start.
The Pelicans have no shortage of shooting guards to turn to. In addition to Moore and Galloway, they also have Lance Stephenson and Alonzo Gee as veterans to turn to. But if Gentry knows anything about today’s NBA it is that you need shooters to succeed.
Gentry saw what shooting can do when he was an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. Hield should be able to provide outside shooting right from the get-go and help the Pelicans space the floor.
He is also capable of being an elite defender and should be solid at least from the get-go.
Hield will have a role with this team from the start. If he can perform as he did in the first preseason game, scoring 19 points with three three-pointers, six rebounds, and three assists, it would be no surprise if it was as the starting shooting guard.
Oct 1, 2016; Bossier City, LA, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes (40) dribbles on New Orleans Pelicans forward Solomon Hill (44) during the first half at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Small Forward
The biggest contract the Pelicans handed out this offseason was to Solomon Hill. Hill will join the Pelicans after spending the first three years of his career with the Indiana Pacers. He got a four-year, $48 million contract and should be the starting small forward at the start.
It can be debated whether or not Hill deserved a contract of that size, but it is what the Pelicans offered and he accepted. Hill’s per-game stats won’t wow anyone, but his shooting performance in the postseason is a big reason he landed the contract that he did.
Hill made 57.9 percent of his three-point attempts with the Pacers during the postseason last year. It is a huge jump from his career number of 32.5 percent.
It would be unrealistic to believe he has all of a sudden became a better shooter than Stephen Curry, but the Pelicans are hoping he can fall somewhere in the 36-38 percent range.
Hill has had a very pedestrian career thus far and it is fair to question how he fits in with the Pelicans. But when you sign a contract of that size, it is a signal that you are expected to be a starter.
Oct 1, 2016; Bossier City, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Terrence Jones (9) guards Dallas Mavericks forward Quincy Acy (4) during the second half at CenturyLink Center. New Orleans won 116-102. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Power Forward
This spot will be decided based on the personnel the Pelicans want to use. Do they want to start Davis at center, or power forward? If Davis indeed starts at center, Terrence Jones should be starting alongside him.
Jones was an afterthought on the free agent market this offseason. He received very little interest on the open market after an up-and-down tenure with the Houston Rockets. In his four years in Houston, Jones averaged 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Those are pretty solid numbers for a player that never had a consistent role, yet Jones was met with a cold market and signed for the minimum with the Pelicans.
The Pelicans could have a steal on their hands if they can tap into Jones’ potential. He is very athletic despite his bulky size and could help the Pelicans in multiple ways. He is a solid rebounder and has the size to play multiple positions.
If he can adequately shoot the ball to space the floor, the Pelicans lineup should have enough shooting to get by.
Jones has some experience playing center with the Rockets, so he could be interchangeable with Davis depending on matchups. It would give the lineup versatility to better match whatever opponents are throwing at them.
Nov 6, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry talks with forward Anthony Davis (23) during the second half of a game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Smoothie King Center. The Hawks defeated the Pelicans 121-115. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Wrap Up
There is time until the regular season begins and the Pelicans have a lot of minutes available. There is plenty of veterans on this roster that could crack the starting lineup, but the combination of Tim Frazier, Buddy Hield, Solomon Hill, Terrence Jones and Anthony Davis would be solid.
Frazier is a true point guard, so he would fit in the starting five. Hield can space the floor along with Hill, while Jones can bang inside to help take pressure off Davis. What plagues the Pelicans is injuries; it is why the lineup is as much of a mess as it currently is.
Frazier and Jones both signed late in the offseason, but should both find their way into the starting lineup. While Gentry says that only Davis is guaranteed a spot, his starting lineup is probably closer to being filled out than he is letting on.
At this point in time, Frazier and Hill should have good shots at starting spots given their standing on the roster. Jones and Hield will have to show a little more to get their spots, but they got off on the right foot after the first preseason game.
If they can string together a couple more strong performances it shouldn’t be long until their spots are locked up as well.
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