Given the cap space boom and the fact that most teams will have major cap space this summer, there's a need for this franchise to get creative on his way to approach free agency.
By looking to the cap situation of the Pels, it's pretty clear that the options are quite limited. Pelicans FO has basically two choices : throw a major offer to a prizee FA and then fill the roster with low costs players or paying around 8-10M to players which who are mid-level players . In my opinion, the first way is the better way to help this team to become relevant again and it may be also the easiest to do.
Since there was plenty of debate about which marquee players we should focus, I'm more interested in finding players that will come for cheap and may be really instrumental to this team success.
Regarding the profile for the players I try to investigate on this post, there's three things I take into account : fit with our coach philosophy, age and looking for a fair chance at playing decent amount of minutes in the NBA. The former point is particularly important, because if you can offer the same role as other teams it's really an outbidding war and we don't have the arms to beat other franchise. The biggest selling point for our franchise should be to give an opportunity other teams don't offer due to our up-tempo style and minutes available.
Regarding the fit, I looked for two type of profiles, one for perimeter players and one for bigs. For the later, I think the most important skills are the following (in decreasing order of importance) : mobility, passing, shooting, rim protection. For the perimeter guys : court vision, passing, shooting, ability to switch.
So here's a small list of players that fit that bills :
Nando de Colo, 6'5 PG/SG, 28 : He's right now one of the best (if not the best) players in Euroleague. Last summer he was in the Eurobasket first team (and the only french being in it, it's pretty telling how good he's). He had a previous stint in NBA after being drafted with the spurs and he wants to have another shot at the NBA this summer. He didn't crack the rotation at this time but he seems to be more prepared now. Really good court vision, willing passer with a past of playing ball movement system, great shooter. The only knock on him is his defensive limitation but he's a clever defender and at least average at it.
Rodrigue Beaubois, 6'2 PG, 28 : Speaking of french quards, remember him ? The guy was once the mavs future PG, until injury derailed his carreer. Now he seems back to his form, he played a full season with the SIG and performing well. His shooting is improved and his wingspan and quickness allow him to be dirsuptive on the defensive end and to switch onto bigger players.
Jan Vesely,6'11, PF, 26 : Another former NBA players that shines in Europe. Was a total bust at Washington but since he came back in Europe and play his more natural position of PF he's playing well. He's agile for a big, he can stretch the floor and switch on smaller players on defense. Given the new direction the league is taking with small ball, he's very intriguing.
Terrence Jones, 6'9 PF, 24 : I have already stated my interest into his profil due to the fit his skills with Gentry's philosophy, he could be a very special players in the right system given his mix of passing and mobility. He completly fell out of the rockets rotation, so I think he may come for not much money just if he's guaranteed real role on this team.
Tyler Zeller, 7'0, C, 26 : Another player that may come for a larger role than his current one. He's mobile and can shoot. His lack of shot-blocking doesn't make him an interior force but he's pretty much the type of bigs that will stretch the defense and run the floor. Also it doesn't hurt that he's playing under a coach that promote ball movement.
For me these 5 players should be on the top of the FA list this summer for the Pelicans, not to throw them 20M per year, but to offer them a real role in the NBA. Sign two or three of them with a decent draft pick and the future may already seems brighter.
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Originally Posted by Caffeinedisastr
