The New Orleans Pelicans have been pretty mediocre for several years now, but with a new season looming, so too are new hopes and aspirations of fans and players alike. For the first time in a while, we can confidently say that the team is finally on its way up.
Under coach Monty Williams, the Pelicans have a solid coach capable of taking the franchise forward. Their young roster, while capable of producing wins and having showcased a lot of potential in recent seasons, has rarely shown the rest of the NBA what it can really do. Last season the team finished with a a less-than-stellar 34 wins and didn’t make the playoffs.
But did they underachieve?
So what has been going wrong?
The main stumbling block for the Pelicans isn’t a lack of talent, but the absence of leadership. With the emergence of USA basketball star Anthony Davis, look for the overall team atmosphere to improve as this season wears on. Having proven his star potential with his consistently strong performances during the FIBA World Cup this summer, Davis is the leader the Pelicans have been desperately craving these last few years.
Another problem for the Pelicans was that until now, it hasn’t replaced the hard-felt loss of superstar point guard Chris Paul to the LA Clippers. He was the emotional leader and, in many games, the difference maker for the team. Couple these issues with the fact that the Pelicans play in the Western Conference, a strong and competitive conference that eats re-building teams for breakfast, and you can see why it’s been a tough road to hoe.
And another strong consideration that furthered the team’s demise last campaign is that they played in the SouthWest Division last season. Boasting four out of five playoff teams certainly created a very difficult schedule for the Pelicans which resulted in the team sitting at the bottom of the pile.
Who will be the key players to lead the team to the playoffs?
As everybody knows, the Pelicans haven’t been shy in making trades and signing free agents in recent years, as they acquired talented players such as point guard Jrue Holiday and small forward Tyreke Evans. Both are expected to be important players for a franchise that is growing slowly but steadily. For a team that finished 34-48, the roster is surprisingly talented and has a lot of depth. Ryan Anderson, who is coming off a season-ending neck injury, is arguably the best shooting power forward in the NBA, and gives another dimension on offense.
Superstar Anthony Davis has a very strong backup in New Orleans in the shape of newly acquired Turkish centre Omer Asik, who is another talented player the Pelicans signed this off-season from the Houston Rockets. The acquisition of Asik is huge, as he provides good strong defense and consistent rebounding off the bench. New Orleans desperately needs this sort of player on its roster, especially considering star man Anthony Davis has had a couple of injuries problems in the last two seasons. In the NBA it’s all about depth. It’s evident that the Pelicans have made more than one positive move to help make the team achieve its first goal of getting back to playing post-season basketball.
Why do Pelicans fans deserve a playoff team?
When all-star point guard Chris Paul left the team for better days in LA back in 2011, the team went through a very lean period. CP3’s loss was felt more than just personal accolades and the stats sheet–his departure meant a deviation in the team dynamic. His permanent absence led to personnel changes within the organization, and instigated a drop in overall attendance at home games as the team went from playoff basketball to Eastern Conference bottom feeders.
Attendance was down from just under 17,000, with a noticeable drop as soon as the team stopped making the post-season and lost franchise superstar in Chris Paul. Attendees reached a dismal 14,000 in the 11/12 season.
But as is the case in most markets — aside from those who boast the best fan bases — fans are sensing that playoff basketball is coming back to the ‘Big Easy’ and attendance has risen in kind. Last season, the team reported a dramatic improvement from the paltry 14,000 from a few years prior to a respectable 16,500 who now attend games. Further, the franchise has announced that 81% of tickets for games this coming season have been accounted for.
You really can’t blame Pelicans fans for not attending games in recent years as the team was woeful and at times an embarrassment in the Western Conference with teams like the Thunder and Spurs dominating the standings. This Pelicans became so far removed from the standard required to compete against such teams.
Of course any period of utter mediocrity results in displeased, frustrated patrons. But the 2014/15 season looks to be an optimistic one and could spell change for the franchise with a potentially competitive roster. On the back of a strong defense, the team looks to rekindle a work ethic that its fans can be proud of and start to reassert themselves as “potentials”. This re-invented Pelicans team that coach Monty Williams and GM Dell Demps have put together have excited me, and should you as well.
How far can the team go this year?
With changes already underway, are they enough? Can they actually produce with what they have? Both fair questions, but have faith that at the very least they are headed in the right direction. The team will impress this year but certainly aren’t ready to pose any real risk to the strongest NBA championship contenders.
Whatever you do though, don’t sleep on New Orleans. They will surprise many this year, I can guarantee that.
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