Saturday Slam: The Los Angeles Lakers probably wish they could tank this season

 

                                             (Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn/USA TODAY Sports) 

The Los Angeles Lakers are 0-5 with road losses to the Warriors, Nuggets, and Timberwolves and home losses to the Clippers and Trail Blazers. LeBron James is averaging 25.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while Anthony Davis is doing his part with 24.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. However, the rest of the team is pretty weak. Lonnie Walker IV is averaging 13.4 points per game on 41.5% shooting from the field, which isn't bad, but Russell Westbrook is really stinking it up, averaging 12.3 points per game on an absolutely horrible 30.9% shooting from the field. It's just bad. Like really bad. 

And then after Westbrook, there just isn't much. Westbrook was supposed to be the third part of a "Big Three" and he's far from fulfilling that role. He's weighing them down like a really big paper weight. 

The easy answer to this problem of course is to trade Westbrook. But he's turning 34 in a few days and he has a contract paying him $47M this season. Nobody, even in today's NBA, will want to take on that contract. He'll also be an unrestricted free agent next season, so teams will be able to pick him up for a lot less money assuming he continues to build a house of bricks in Los Angeles. 

The Lakers are in a bind. Trading Westbrook is a long long put and yet so long as they have him, they're going to continue to struggle. If they had a lottery first round pick available for next season, they could at least entertain the possibility of tanking for this season. Letting Westbrook brick their way into the NBA draft lottery where they could get a high pick and use that piece to build around for the future. 

But given all these win-now moves that they've made, the Lakers don't have that option. If they were to win the NBA draft lottery after the season, the pick would go to the New Orleans Pelicans, who as part of the Anthony Davis trade, have the rights to swap first round picks with the Lakers in 2023. So that option, as attractive as it looks right now, is off the table for them. 

If the Lakers do want to turn this around, they need to do so like now. They have a home stand starting Sunday that begins with the Nuggets followed by the Pelicans, Jazz, and Cavaliers before making a return trip to Utah to face the Jazz. This upcoming home stand is crucial. They need to at least post a .500 record on this home stand (2-2) to stay afloat. If they go 1-3 or heaven forbid 0-4, they could be looking at a really really bad season without having any of the benefits of tanking. It can't get any more brutal than that. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Zion Williamson's debut is overhyped

                                          (Credit: NBA.com. NBAE/Getty Images) 

On Wednesday, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson will make his NBA debut against the San Antonio Spurs. Game time is 9:30 PM EST on ESPN for those that want to tune in. Speaking of ESPN, if you've been watching ESPN this week like I have (E.g. Australian Open), you've seen a lot of adds about Zion's debut and the hype around this game. I don't want to be a kill joy for those that are excited about this, but if I can be real, I don't think this is that big of a deal.

I understand Zion's a number one overall pick and that he's been compared to LeBron James and other surefire hall of fame players, but that is precisely why I want everyone to pump the brakes on this. Zion hasn't played in a real NBA game yet and for the second consecutive year has missed time due to precautionary reasons. I mean, his handlers had to sign off that Wednesday night against the Spurs would be the date as if he's a prized fighter that doesn't want to get hurt in the ring.

I'm not saying Zion is soft and pampered, but then again I kinda am. No, I'll be more definitive. I think he's soft and pampered. Everyone has said this dude will be the next great player in the NBA and quite honestly, he hasn't yet done anything to back up the hype. Instead, he keeps finding ways to put off his debut, avoid playing, as if the grass is greener somewhere else.

I understood it at Duke because he didn't want to get hurt before the NBA draft, but he's in the NBA now. The vibe I'm getting is that he doesn't want to be in New Orleans for the long-term and that he just wants to make sure he doesn't get hurt so as to not ruin his chances of playing for the Bulls, Knicks, or Lakers when he hits free agency.

Maybe I'm off my hinges, but this is how I read the situation. Zion is a very talented player with a ton of upside, but there are legitimate questions about his work ethic, his diet, and his commitment to the New Orleans Pelicans organization. Just like how there were questions about his commitment to Duke when he went down with that blown-out shoe. Hopefully he'll prove me wrong and turn out to be a really good NBA player, but for now, he has to back up the hype. Enough of the commercials. Go out there and hoop.

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Mock Draft Monday: Could Zion Williamson still win Rookie of the Year?

                                          (AP Photo/Steve Marcus) 

When Zion Williamson was drafted #1 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in June's draft, he was the heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year honors. 20 games into his rookie year, Williamson is yet to play in a regular season game as he is recovering from right knee (meniscus) surgery. It's also unclear when he'll make his regular season debut, though the vibe seems to be sometime this month.

Even if he does return by the end of the month, he will have missed over 25% of the regular season, which could ruin his chances of winning Rookie of the Year. Especially when rookies like Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies), Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards), R.J. Barrett (New York Knicks), and others have been playing really well. At this point, odds of Zion winning Rookie of the Year honors seem slim. Especially since his return date is still up-in-the-air.

That said, it's not impossible, at least in my view, for him to still win the award. For starters, Morant just went down with back spasms and is listed as week-to-week. It is possible that other rookies get hurt and miss some time as well. If Williamson can play at least 50 games this year and really ball out, it's conceivable that he puts himself back in the conversation.

Secondly, NBA awards have had a history of not making sense. The fact that Steve Nash has two MVPs while Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal each have one is a perfect example. We also have had weird debates about whether or not a guy who misses his rookie year is eligible to win the award in his sophomore year. Ben Simmons vs. Donovan Mitchell was the most recent example of that. Even with more deserving candidates, it is possible that members of the media defy all common sense and still give him the award even if he plays only like half the season. They've done it before, so what's stopping them from doing it again?

Lastly, it's possible no other rookie makes a really strong case to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. We could find ourselves in a situation come April where Zion has played the best out of every rookie when looking at the per game stats while no individual rookie has made a strong enough case for them to win the award over everyone else. In other words, it could be a Zion versus the field kind of deal. If we find ourselves in that kind of situation, where the ONLY thing holding Zion back is his lack of games played, he might still sneak out with the award.

While I do think the odds are stacked against Zion and that he probably won't win Rookie of the Year, don't totally count out the possibility. There's still plenty of basketball left and thus opportunities for him to work himself back into the conversation. If he does come back in a reasonable time frame and plays really well, we could be in for some really interesting debates in the second half of the season.

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Saturday Slam: DeMarcus Cousins has really fallen from grace

At the end of the 2016-17 season, DeMarcus Cousins concluded a season in which he averaged 27.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in 72 total games played. He spent the bulk of that season with the Sacramento Kings but was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans to conclude the season. Since that year, everything has gone downhill for him in a rather shocking manner.

First, in the middle of the 2017-18 season, Cousins suffered a torn Achilles which limited his season to just 48 games. Prior to the injury, he was playing really good basketball, averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. A torn Achilles is no joke, but an injury that one can come back from with the proper rehab. Still, no team wanted to take a chance on him until the Golden State Warriors scooped him up for close to nothing. He spent most of the 2018-19 season in street clothes, but was able to produce a little bit during the 30 games he played, averaging 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game before going down once again with a torn left quadriceps.

Already looking like he might be damaged goods, the Los Angeles Lakers threw their caution to the wind and decided to sign him this past July, hoping that he could get back to full strength. Instead, he tore his ACL in a preseason workout a little over a month later in mid-August, ruling him out for the entire 2019-20 season.

In the midst of all this injury misfortune, Cousins got married and even that didn't go as planned thanks to a leaked audio tape of him threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend over the phone for not allowing their son to come to his wedding. As a result, an arrest warrant was issued and now he's in the middle of an ugly legal dispute.

At just 29 years of age, Cousins' career seems to be over and what's crazy is that it wasn't that long ago that he was an NBA All-Star. We've seen guys drop off quickly, but rarely do we see guys drop off like this. It's like one day he's the best big man in the NBA and the next day he's having a hard time convincing teams to take a chance on him. Hopefully for him, he is able to find his second wind. If not, he better get ready for life after basketball.

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Mock Draft Monday: Should the New Orleans Pelicans be worried about Zion Williamson's health?

                                          (AP Photo/Steve Marcus) 

After just nine minutes of action, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss the rest of summer league. That's right. Nine minutes. On the surface, this may not seem like much of a deal, but if I can be totally honest, I think it's a bit alarming that Williamson is already on the shelf due to injury. Even if it is just for precautionary reasons.

In case you forgot, Williamson's shoe blew up against North Carolina, causing him to miss almost a month of his freshman season at Duke. It felt a bit odd that he was being so cautious, but at the same time understandable given that was a college kid protecting his future. This time around, he can't play that card. He's got a four-year guaranteed contract to fall back on, a shoe deal that is expected to be worth $100M, etc. He should be ready to ball out. The fact that we haven't even hit training camp yet and Williamson is already protecting his future by sitting out is cause for major concern. Especially since we've seen this from him before.

There are two reasons why the Pelicans should be worried about this. The first reason is that Williamson may not really be interested in playing for them. By sitting out of summer league, it could be an early indicator that Williamson views New Orleans as only a temporary home and that as soon as he gets the chance, he's going to leave. If this is the case, the Pelicans have to start thinking about an exit strategy and how to trade him for the maximum amount of assets.

The second reason why the Pelicans should be worried is that Williamson might be fragile. At just 6'7", Williamson weighs a whopping 285 pounds. That's a ton of weight on his joints that he's playing with. If he doesn't slim down and get off the excess weight, he could be looking at a shortened career.

You can accuse me of overreacting to Zion Williamson's summer league injury and that's totally fine. I hope I'm wrong and that there's really nothing to see here. But unfortunately for the Pelicans, you only know for certain what has happened in the past. In hindsight everything is 20/20 but in real time, the future is very much unknown. The Pelicans have a tricky assignment figuring out how to manage their top pick and have to consider this from all angles. If they're not asking themselves these tough questions, they could be in a for a rude shock.

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Mock Draft Monday: Zion Williamson would be foolish to return to school

                                          (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images) 

I'm kicking off a new segment on NBALord.com that I hope people will find entertaining and informative. The NBA Draft is an area I would like to explore more on here. Especially since I already do a lot of prospect evaluations for NBADraft.net and also recruiting coverage covering Cal basketball for Rivals.com. With that said as a brief intro into this new segment, what better way for me to kick things off than some discussion on Zion Williamson?

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know who Zion Williamson is. I really shouldn't need to tell you who the Duke superstar freshman is. He's been all over ESPN and Sports Center for the past nine months and is projected by virtually every NBA Draft expert to go #1 overall in the upcoming draft.

The only "drama" in the whole thing is will he spurn the New Orleans Pelicans and return to school in hopes of landing with a better market. While none of us expected the Pelicans to win the lottery, they won it fair and square and deserve the chance to draft Williamson, making him their main franchise piece for the future. Don't get me wrong. If I was Williamson, I would have also been hoping for Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles. But the downside of going to New Orleans instead doesn't outweigh the risk of returning to school for another year (remember his shoe blowing up?)

Furthermore, while New Orleans isn't as exciting of a landing spot as those major markets are, it's also a better landing spot from a pure basketball standpoint: David Griffin is a well respected basketball executive leading the front office while Anthony Davis is also there as one of the top players in the NBA. Putting aside the drama surrounding Davis and his future, assuming Griffin can convince "The Brow" to stay in New Orleans, the Pelicans could really be cooking with gas should they draft Williamson. They could be looking at a playoff appearance next season and before long find themselves competing with the Trail Blazers, Nuggets, and Warriors to come out of the Western Conference.

If Williamson were to return to school, he would have nothing to gain other than possibly going to a better city in 2020. On the flip side, he would risk injury, not developing his game as well as NBA scouts would hope, and perhaps even going to a worse situation than New Orleans (E.g. Cleveland). It would be a stupid move to return to Duke and even he knows it.

As much as New Orleans may not excite him, Zion Williamson should be excited about the chance to put on a Pelicans uniform. He'll get a chance to convince Anthony Davis to stay and help put a relatively new NBA franchise on the map. All in all, it's actually a pretty good spot for him.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: What should the New Orleans Pelicans do about Anthony Davis?

                                         (Getty Images) 

The big news in the NBA world over the last few days is the revelation that Anthony Davis wants out of New Orleans and that he has no plans to sign an extension. The news came from his agent Rich Paul, resulting in a $50,000 fine for Davis since the league prohibits players or their agents from publicly requesting trades. Despite the fine, the cat is already out of the bag and now the whole league knows Davis wants to find a new home.

The big question on everyone's mind is what should the Pelicans do? The soonest he can opt out of his contract is the summer of 2020, so the Pelicans don't have to make a move before the Thursday, February 7th trade deadline. At the same time, why prolong the inevitable? If a guy wants out and isn't willing to change his mind, you might as well move the player and get as much back as you can.

One thing that is for certain is that the Pelicans are going to be fielding a lot of calls about Davis over the next few days as the trade deadline approaches. A lot of teams are going to want to roll the dice on Davis, even if it means having him for just a year and a half. If the Pelicans get an unbelievable offer, they have to pull the trigger and get back whatever they can for Davis.

If the Pelicans don't get an over the moon type of offer, they might be smart to hold on to him and see what type of offers they get next season. The only concern is there will be less teams willing to risk a big move to get him. Kinda like what the Raptors did to get Kawhi Leonard. Right now, a lot more teams are going to be interested in rolling the dice on Davis than they will in a year, making now the time for the Pelicans to move Davis if at all possible.

Regardless of whether or not Anthony Davis publicly requested a trade, I think it's safe to say we could all see this coming. The Pelicans have struggled to put together a winning team around him and given his talents, he's certain to want to go to a place where he feels he can contend for a championship. With that in mind, the Pelicans might as well not delay the inevitable. While they shouldn't be willing to accept any deal, they should be aiming to make a move before the February 7th trade deadline. If they don't, they'll just have their franchise hanging in some weird limbo state until they finally get rid of him. The sooner they can move on from him and start afresh around a new crop of talent, the better.

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NBALord.com Southwest Division Preview

Up next in my division previews is the Southwest Division, home to the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, and New Orleans Pelicans. This division once again projects to be highly competitive and very interesting. 

The Houston Rockets were a healthy Chris Paul hamstring away from reaching the NBA Finals last year and will look to finish the job this year. The addition of Carmelo Anthony is aimed at giving them more offensive potency off the bench and another veteran in the locker room. Anthony will be coming off the bench for the first time in his career and will have to adjust to this new role. 

Another key piece on this Rockets team is big man Clint Capela, who is one the most talented big men in the league. He runs the floor extremely well and is becoming a pretty versatile player, capable of scoring, rebounding, and blocking shots. With him anchoring the middle, the Rockets have one of the better front courts in the NBA. 

While Anthony and Capela will have big roles on this team, the success of the Rockets ultimately hinges on the success of James Harden and Chris Paul. When healthy, these two guys form one of the most dangerous backcourt in the NBA, capable of putting up points and making plays for others. When they're not at full strength, this team suddenly becomes very beatable. 

The key thing for Mike D'Antoni to do this year is to manage his minutes effectively and keep Paul and Harden as rested as possible for the playoffs. That won't be easy, but it's essential that he finds a way to keep these guys fresh. If he's able to do that, these guys just might reach the NBA Finals. 

It's a new era in San Antonio. Manu Ginobili has retired, Tony Parker is now with the Charlotte Hornets, and Kawhi Leonard is now a member of the Toronto Raptors. Despite these changes, the Spurs have a very talented team led by DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Rudy Gay. 

Of course the main guy to watch this year is DeRozan since he is the main new face on this team. Coming up short in the playoffs dogged him during his entire time in Toronto, so he'll be eager to show that same reputation won't follow him in San Antonio. 

I don't see the Spurs coming out of the Western Conference this year or anything along those lines, but I do expect them to make the playoffs and compete to win an opening round series. What really hurt this team last year was the drama surrounding Kawhi Leonard. With that now behind them, these guys can get back to focusing on playing Spurs basketball. I expect this renewed focus to do them a lot of good and make them a sneaky good team. 

The New Orleans Pelicans are led by double-double machine Anthony Davis, who is arguably the best player in the NBA. His 32 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 blocks in their opening night win over the Rockets speaks for itself. When you have a guy like Davis on your team, you are automatically going to be a tough team to beat every night you step on the floor. 

In addition to Davis, the Pelicans have some other talented pieces in Nikola Mirotic, Jrue Holiday, and Elfrid Payton. Holiday and Payton form a really dynamic backcourt while Mirotic is one of the better stretch forwards in the game. They're starting to put together a talented core around Davis and that should put the rest of the Western Conference on notice. 

Like every team, health will play a big factor in the success of this team. If they are able to remain relatively injury free and develop some cohesion, they should be another team vying for a playoff spot. 

With Dirk Nowitzki in the twilight years of his career, it is a new era in Dallas led by Dennis Smith, Jr., DeAndre Jordan, and rookie sensation Luka Doncic. 

Doncic will be the one to really watch on this team. There was talk of him possibly going #1 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and many feel he's got the chance to be really special due to his unique blend of size, shooting, and play making. While I think Deandre Ayton will win rookie of the year, Doncic should put himself in the conversation. 

If there's one other guy to really focus on, it would be DeAndre Jordan, who is looking for a fresh start after spending a decade with the Los Angeles Clippers. For the first time in his career, Jordan is expected to be the top dog on an NBA team, which puts more pressure on him than ever before. I expect Jordan to have a solid season with the Mavericks, but he's not enough to make these guys competitive. 

It will be a long season in Dallas, but hopefully one where they are able to develop their young talent and start to build an identity. The future could be bright for this team, but we are at least a couple of years away from finding out what they really have. 

The Memphis Grizzlies still have their one-two punch of Mike Conley, Jr. and Marc Gasol and they added a really talented rookie power forward in Jaren Jackson, Jr. out of Michigan State. It's a bit of rebuilding situation in Memphis, but the hope is they'll be back to playoff form sooner rather than later. 

Conley is coming back from a left Achilles injury and might take a little while to get back to full strength. So long as he's not 100 percent, it will be hard for this Grizzlies team to be competitive. As good as Marc Gasol is, he can't shoulder the load all on his own. 

If the Grizzlies are going to have any success this year, they're really going to need major production from their first round pick Jaren Jackson, Jr. There are high hopes for him and with a really young roster, the opportunity for a lot of minutes are there to take advantage of. If he can have a big rookie year, the Grizzlies could exceed expectations. 

Similar to the Mavericks, this will be a year for the Grizzlies to really focus on cultivating their young talent and figuring out who they want to be a part of their franchise for the long-term future. One such example is Ivan Rabb, who got some minutes for them in the front court last year and showed some promise. If they can get a feel for Rabb's future along with their other young players, the Grizzlies will have a productive season regardless of their record. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Taking a quick look at the Western Conference playoff picture

With the NBA regular season concluding next week (April 10th), I thought it would be good to take a quick look at where things sit in the Western Conference playoff picture. One week from now we'll know who's in, who's out, and who's playing who. Until then, it's going to be a wild week with teams jockeying for position.

Who's clinched

At this point, the following three teams have clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference playoffs: Houston Rockets (63-15), Golden State Warriors (57-21), and Portland Trail Blazers (48-30). The Rockets are locked into the #1 seed and the Warriors are locked into the #2 seed, so they can pretty much chill the rest of this week. With all the injuries the Warriors have had, they in particular would be wise to pump the brakes and go easy during this last week.

As for the Trail Blazers, while they have already clinched, they still have a little bit of work to do in order to hang onto the #3 seed and home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.  Their schedule is as follows: @Houston, @San Antonio, @ Denver, and vs. Utah. It's actually a pretty tough schedule, so the Trail Blazers should be looking to go hard all the way until the last night.

Who's in if it started today 

If the playoffs started today, the San Antonio Spurs (45-32), Utah Jazz (45-33), Oklahoma City Thunder (45-34), Minnesota Timberwolves (44-34), and New Orleans Pelicans (43-34) would all be in. The Spurs would have clinched on Tuesday had they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers and had the Denver Nuggets lost. Unfortunately for them, neither of those events happened. The Clippers outscored the Spurs 41-27 in the 4th quarter to win 113-110 and the Nuggets defeated the Indiana Pacers 107-104.

The Spurs still figure to make the playoffs, but they'll have to wait another day to officially punch their ticket. The Jazz are hoping to take advantage of the Spurs' loss and bump themselves up to the #4 seed, which would give them home court advantage in the first round. The Jazz have won three straight games including a 117-110 win over the Los Angeles Lakers today. They have a moderately tough schedule coming up, so they could do it but it won't be a cakewalk: vs. Los Angeles Clippers, @Los Angeles Lakers, vs. Golden State, and @Portland.

As for the Thunder and Timberwolves, they have work to do as well, but they have the temporary luxury of being in front of the 8th seeded Pelicans, who are sinking like a stone as we speak. The Pelicans have lost four straight games and have five games remaining vs. Memphis, @Phoenix, @Golden State, @Los Angeles Clippers, and vs. San Antonio. Their last three games are no slam dunk, so they really need to take care of business against Memphis and Phoenix if they want to ensure that they still make the playoffs.

Who's on the outside trying to get in 

If any of the four teams above miss the playoffs, it'll either be the Denver Nuggets (42-35) or Los Angeles Clippers (41-36) who take their spot. The Nuggets have won three straight games and are only one game back of the Pelicans, really turning the heat up as of late. The Nuggets' remaining schedule is as follows: vs. Minnesota, @Los Angeles Clippers, vs. Portland, and @Minnesota. That's a pretty tough schedule, but considering how the Pelicans are playing, they should like their chances of sneaking in.

As for the Clippers, their 113-110 win over the Spurs tonight saved their season. Their remaining schedule is as follows: @Utah, vs. Denver, vs. New Orleans, and vs. Los Angeles Lakers. It's not an easy schedule, but what helps is they have a chance to gain a full game on both the Nuggets and Pelicans if they win those games. Playing at Salt Lake City won't be easy, but if they can somehow pull off a miracle in that game, they'll be well positioned to make up some ground and take out both the Nuggets and Pelicans.

Prediction 

My personal prediction is I think the Spurs, Jazz, Thunder, and Timberwolves will make the playoffs. They still have their work to do, but at the end of the day, I think they'll all make it. As for that 8th spot, I think that is too close to call right now. The Pelicans couldn't be hitting a four game losing skid at a worse time so I really am not feeling that they get in. If I had to make a final prediction, I think the Clippers will be the team that gets in. Their schedule is pretty friendly and tonight's win over the Spurs seems to be sign of things to come.

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Skyhook Sunday: The New Orleans Pelicans are on fire

When DeMarcus Cousins went down for the season due a torn Achilles, most people, including myself, assumed the New Orleans Pelicans were doomed and would find themselves back in the NBA Draft lottery. Instead of doing what we all expected, the Pelicans have decided to defy the odds makers and prove that they can still make some noise this season.

As of right now, the Pelicans are 4th in the Western Conference with a 36-26 record and have won eight straight games. Those eight wins have come at Brooklyn, at Detroit, vs. Los Angeles Lakers, vs. Miami, at Milwaukee, vs. Phoenix, at San Antonio, and at Dallas. While not the most intimidating schedule, the Pelicans still deserve a lot of credit for winning all of those games.

Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday have both really stepped up for the Pelicans during this stretch. Davis has had four games of 40+ points and one game of 50+ points while Holiday has had scored 20+ points in each of these games including a 36 point game at Milwaukee and 30 point game at Dallas. These guys are being asked to carry the load for their team and are doing so in spades.

The big question is whether or not the Pelicans can keep this up or if they will fade as we head into March. When looking at the schedule, I think there's good reason to think they can keep this up.  They do have games against the Rockets, Warriors, Celtics, and Spurs left, but they also have games left with the Clippers, Kings, Jazz, Hornets, and Mavericks. Their schedule isn't a cakewalk by any means, but it is manageable. What helps is teams behind them like the Timberwolves and Spurs are dealing with injuries of their own, so it isn't like they are at full strength either.

My personal prediction is that the Pelicans will make the playoffs, but it's honestly too soon to say whether or not they will hang onto home court advantage in the first round. Seeds 3-8 seem to be changing every day, so it really is anybody's guess of as to how those positions will shake out. But that all being said, the very fact that the Pelicans are even in discussion to get home court advantage in the first round is remarkable. They are definitely turning into one of the feel good stories of the season.

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Saturday Slam: What exactly are the New Orleans Pelicans becoming?

The New Orleans Pelicans are becoming something, but what is it, exactly? In an effort to build around Anthony Davis, they've traded for DeMarcus Cousins, re-signed Jrue Holiday to a 5-year, $126M deal, and now added Rajon Rondo on a one-year deal. The combination of Davis, Cousins, Holiday, and Rondo is certainly interesting, but will it produce the results the Pelicans want?

Before I dive into the concerns that I have with what the Pelicans are doing, let me quickly say why this could work. First, Anthony Davis is the best big man in the NBA. He averaged 28.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game last season. The dude is a beast. When you got him as your franchise centerpiece, you got a shot to be really good.

Second, DeMarcus Cousins is arguably the second best big man in the NBA. He's been in need of a change of scenery and paring him with a guy like Davis could be what he needs to reach his full potential. When you got two of the best big men in the NBA, there's good reason to think you'll succeed.

As for Holiday and Rondo, both have proven their value as elite level point guards. Rondo has tailed off since his best days in Boston, but he's still a very good pass-first point guard. As for Holiday, he averaged 15.4 points and 7.3 assists per game last season, which are very solid numbers.

The concerns I have with the Pelicans has nothing to do with the individual talent they are adding. It has to do with the blend of talent that they are adding, specifically putting DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo together. The very best of teams can handle one head case if they have a strong leader and know what they are doing. The Pelicans have added two head cases in Cousins and Rondo without having the pedigree of a championship level team. That alone raises serious concerns.

As far as what these guys bring to the court from a pure basketball standpoint, it's unclear how Holiday and Rondo will play together as pass-first point guards. As for Davis and Cousins, there are legitimate concerns about their ability to matchup against smaller and quicker teams, especially in a league that is moving towards positionless basketball.  Such a frontcourt may find better success in an era with more traditional big men.

The bottom line with the Pelicans is that while they are adding talented players to their roster, it's unclear whether or not they are the right fit for each other. If they can find a way to work together and get the most out of each other's talents, the Pelicans could be a really good team. When you consider the upside and also potential for failure, this really is the ultimate example of a "boom or bust" team. I smell bust, but I'm willing to withhold my judgment and see where they are at come playoff time.

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Saturday Slam: How dangerous are the New Orleans Pelicans?

With both Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, the New Orleans Pelicans have one of the most intriguing teams in the NBA. Such a front court duo has the potential to do a lot of damage, especially when you add a talented guard like Jrue Holiday to the mix. Davis is averaging 27.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game while Cousins is averaging 27.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. As for Holiday, he is averaging 16.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

At the moment, the Pelicans are 23-36 and 3.5 games back of the 8th seeded Denver Nuggets. After landing DeMarcus Cousins, the Pelicans are clearly the front runners to finish 8th in the Western Conference standings and face off against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. The big question that's on everybody's mind is how dangerous are these Pelicans given their place in the standings at this point of the season?

There are two answers to this question. The first answer is that in the short term, the Pelicans are dangerous enough to make the playoffs and maybe win a game or two against the Warriors. Given that it usually takes at least half of a season for stars to gel, the rest of the season can be viewed as extra time for DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis to gel before training camp of next season. In other words, the trade to land DeMarcus Cousins was much more of a move for next season and beyond than it was for this season. This season, the best the Pelicans can hope for is to make the playoffs and get a playoff series under their belt before next season, which is no small thing. Having a playoff series together before they enter their first full season together would be huge for Davis and Cousins as the go forward as the co-faces of this franchise. It should prove to be growing experience that will help them immensely next season and beyond.

Beyond that, there's nothing to expect out of this season. The Warriors are a vastly superior team given that they have had a lot more time to gel and on paper are still a much better team. The Pelicans won't get past the Warriors by adding DeMarcus Cousins. He's a talented player, but let's keep in mind there's a reason the Kings traded him. He has flaws and the Pelicans have to learn how to deal with those flaws and get past them, something that the Kings couldn't do or weren't willing to do. This season is all about working out some of the kinks so as to hit the ground running next season.

As far as next season's expectations are concerned, this team projects to be a playoff team and possibly a top-four team in the Western Conference. If I could start a franchise with any player in the NBA right now, I would choose Anthony Davis. He's a versatile big man that can do it all on both ends of the floor. When you give him another all-star big man by his side like DeMarcus Cousins and a quality point guard like Jrue Holiday, you could have something special on your hands.

The biggest challenge for the Pelicans will be to figure out how to combat "small ball" lineups, which benefit from having quicker guys on the floor. We saw the Pelicans get torched by the Houston Rockets' "small ball" lineup 129-99 in DeMarcus Cousins' debut. Going forward into next season and in the seasons to come, the Pelicans will need to figure out who else to add to their roster to give them more flexibility against teams that will look to go small against them. If the Pelicans can figure out how to combat smaller and quicker lineups with Cousins and Davis, they could have themselves a championship contending team.

The bottom line for the Pelicans is that with DeMarcus Cousins added to the fold, they have the potential to be really good in the seasons to come, but as presently constituted, they still have work to do both on the court and in the front office. The core players that are certain to stick around like Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis will need to figure out how to play with Cousins and benefit from having him on the floor. As for the front office, their challenge will be to figure out what other complimentary pieces need to be added in order to make their team a true championship contender.

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Skyhook Sunday: The Sacramento Kings were dumb to trade DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans

                                         (Credit: Matthew Addie. Click here for source). 
                                       

After the NBA All-Star festivities wrapped up on Sunday, news broke that the Sacramento Kings have agreed to trade DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi to the New Orleans Pelicans for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and two draft picks, one a 2017 first round pick and the other a 2017 second round pick. For my Saturday Slam piece, I mentioned five teams to keep an eye on at the trade deadline and the Kings were one of the those teams due to all the DeMarcus Cousins trade rumors. Despite insisting that they weren't looking to trade Cousins, Vlade Divac and company decided that in the end, it was in their best interest to move on from the "Boogie" Cousins era. 

For the Pelicans, this is a fantastic move. They have been in need of some sort of blockbuster move to keep Anthony Davis in New Orleans and landing a guy like DeMarcus Cousins definitely qualifies as such a move. Cousins is not even in his prime yet, already averaging 27.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game at just 26 years of age. As for Anthony Davis, he is averaging 27.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. 

Together, Davis and Cousins could form one of the most dangerous front courts the NBA has ever seen, elevating the Pelicans into championship contender status. As far as this season is concerned, the Pelicans are suddenly the favorites to get the #8 spot in the Western Conference and could give the Warriors a good scare in the first round. 

In regards to the Kings, I'm having a hard time buying this move. I understand that rebuilding is a necessary process that all teams have to go through at some point. It's just part of the natural cycle of the NBA. But the Kings seem to be hitting the reset button way too prematurely. Right when they move into a new arena that keeps them in Sacramento for good the Kings decide to trade away their franchise player. I understand that DeMarcus Cousins has had his ups and downs, but the man still puts up 27.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Those are hall of fame type of numbers.

 If you have a guy who is putting up those kinds of numbers at just 26 years of age, you better have a really good reason to trade him in order to sell me on it. Simply saying you weren't going anywhere with him won't cut it. You better have a good reason and as this trade is constituted, I really can't buy it for the Kings. None of the guys they got back are guys who they can build around for the future and they aren't guaranteed to get a super high draft pick, either. If the Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins because they were convinced that he wouldn't stay in Sacramento, that's fine, but that doesn't mean you trade him for Ring Dings and a Pepsi. If you are going to trade him for Ring Dings and a Pepsi, you might as well keep him for the duration of his contract (through 2018) and see what you can accomplish with him. Maybe you can get better and make things work out. 

What the Kings are getting back for Cousins is nothing to write home about. Langston Galloway, Tyreke Evans, and Buddy Hield are solid players, but not anything that you can build around. Buddy Hield is just a rookie so it's possible he becomes something, but I still don't see him becoming an all-star or anything of that nature. The bottom line is the Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins for essentially nothing and what I find to be so stupid about that is that there is no way they can convince me that was the best offer they could have gotten for him. Surely there was some team that could have offered a more promising young talent than Buddy Hield and offered a better overall package. 

The bottom line is that the Kings wanted DeMarcus Cousins out of town as soon as possible and while they very well may have good reasons for that, at the very least they have to make sure they get back something good given his high value. As of right now, the Kings just set themselves back at least five years and maybe more. The Kings have gone from possibly making the playoffs for the first time in the DeMarcus Cousins era to heading straight back to the lottery with no definitive plan of as to who next face of the franchise will be. This was a dumb move by the Kings and unless they have something else up their sleeves that I just don't see, they'll regret this move for years to come. 

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Western Conference Playoffs Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans

#1 Golden State Warriors (67-15) vs. #8 New Orleans Pelicans (45-37): 

     On paper, the Golden State Warriors should have no problem winning this series. They have the league's best record, they took the season series with the Pelicans 3-1, they have Stephen Curry, who many feel will win the NBA MVP award, and they have won 16 of their last 18 games. I could make my entire argument for why they win this series on these points alone and call this one a wrap.

     The only issue with doing so would be that I wouldn't have addressed the Pelicans at all, and while they don't have the same resume as the Warriors, they really aren't too shabby. The Pelicans are a team that has flown under the radar all season largely due to their location, goofy mascot, and new nickname. When people talk about teams that are dangerous in the Western Conference, nobody mentions the Pelicans because half of the time they forget the Pelicans exist.

     While there are good explanations for why nobody talks about the Pelicans, that doesn't mean those explanations justify ignoring them. The Pelicans have the best big man in the league in Anthony Davis, a multifaceted force of nature who does it all. Davis averages 24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.9 blocks per game. He's a living nightmare for all who face him and the Warriors are no exception.

     While the Warriors have enough weapons to get by the Pelicans with relative ease, it would be a mistake to infer that this has anything to do with Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis is the only reason this series should even be played. His presence makes this series worth watching and at least mildly interesting.

    The Warriors do not have any answer for Davis inside and that is why the Pelicans have a shot in the dark at winning this series. Warriors fans will tell me they have Andrew Bogut to slow down Anthony Davis, but Bogut simply isn't enough to stop him. Davis is just too dominant and overwhelming. When he is on his game, he's like Wilt Chamberlain out there, doing whatever he wants when he wants.

     While Stephen Curry is deserving of the NBA's MVP award, I would rather have Anthony Davis on my team because of all that he can do. On any given night, he can be the best player on the floor and dominate games in ways that Stephen Curry cannot. I don't view this as any disrespect to Stephen Curry. Big guys are the most valuable players in this game and when faced with a chance to have a dominant big guy or a dominate wing player, you take the dominant big guy every time.

     That all being said, the reason why I think the Warriors win this series is because they simply have more weapons across the board and they have home court advantage. The Pelicans have nice weapons around Davis like Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, and Eric Gordon, but none of those guys form the same supporting cast that Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, and Andre Iguodala form around Stephen Curry. As for home court advantage, it is almost impossible to win a playoff game on the road in Oracle Arena, which makes the Pelicans' task of winning this series almost impossible. I see the Warriors winning this series in 5 games.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 





   

Wednesday Windmill: What are the chances the Oklahoma City Thunder miss the playoffs?

   
     One year ago, it would have seemed unfathomable for there to be an article about the Oklahoma City Thunder missing the playoffs, but now odds appear to be at least 50% that they will find themselves on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin. At the moment, they are 10th in the Western Conference with a 23-23 record and 3.5 games back of the 8th seeded Phoenix Suns who are 27-20. What I will do in this article is try to project how things will shake out for that final spot in the Western Conference playoffs looking at the Suns, Pelicans, and Thunder.

     By the numbers, the Thunder have an overall record of 23-23, making them 10th in the Western Conference. They are 13-7 at home and an abysmal 10-16 on the road. The good news in all this is that 21 of the Thunder's 36 remaining games are at home. The bad news for the Thunder is that 24 of those remaining 36 games are against teams in the Western Conference, 16 of which are either playoff bound or playoff caliber (e.g. Suns and Pelicans).

     The Thunder don't have a ton of games against easy opponents down the stretch, so they better beat all the easy teams that they can, hold serve at home, and get some road wins. Unfortunately, they had a chance on Wednesday to get an easy win against the Knicks and they didn't get it done.

     By the numbers, the Pelicans are 24-22, currently 9th in the Western Conference. They are 15-6 at home and 9-16 on the road. Like the Thunder, the Pelicans too have the bulk of their remaining games being played on their home court (20 out of 36). As for the competition, 23 of their remaining games are against teams in the Western Conference, 15 of which are against playoff bound or playoff caliber teams (e.g. Thunder and Suns).

     The schedule for the Pelicans is very similar to the schedule of the Thunder. What will be huge are the games against the Thunder on February 4th (vs. OKC) and February 6th (@OKC). The Pelicans might bury the Thunder for good should they win both of those games. Like the Thunder, the Pelicans will want to win all the easy games they have left, defend their home court, and step up their play on the road.

     By the numbers, the Suns have an overall record of 27-20, currently possessing the #8 seed in the Western Conference. They are 14-9 at home and 13-11 on the road. Of their remaining 35 games, the Suns will play 18 games at home and 17 games on the road. As for the competition, 25 of their remaining games are against teams in the Western Conference, 18 of which are against teams which are either playoff bound or playoff caliber (e.g. Pelicans and Thunder).

     The Suns definitely have a tougher schedule than both the Thunder and the Pelicans. The good news for them is that they have a 3.5 game lead on the Thunder and a 2.5 game lead on the Pelicans. In addition, they face the Pelicans and Thunder a combined four times down the stretch with three of those games being in Phoenix. That's huge. The fact that they are such a good home team and that the Pelicans and Thunder have struggled on the road makes odds very good that the Suns win three out of those four games.

     Now that I have broken down the three teams' schedules, I will now state what the playoff odds are for each team.

Phoenix Suns: 53%. At the end of the day, I think the Suns still will hang on to the 8th seed in the West. Having three out of their four remaining games against the Thunder and Pelicans at home is huge as well as the fact that they have a decent lead over both teams for the #8 spot.

Oklahoma City Thunder: 35%. The odds are definitely not in their favor, but it's not at all inconceivable that they make the playoffs. Having 67% of their remaining games at home obviously bodes really well for them as well as the fact that they have guys like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who are used to turning it up down the stretch of the NBA season. However, having to make two more trips to Phoenix is not at all a good thing for this team judging by their weak road play and the Suns' strong play at home.

New Orleans Pelicans: 12%.  I hate to lowball the Pelicans since they are seeded higher than the Thunder at the moment, but their lack of playoff experience makes it tough to give them much higher odds. The number of home games remaining works in their favor as does the fact that they have Anthony Davis, who is a superstar in this league.

     What I haven't yet mentioned that is critical to their odds of making the playoffs is the fact that Jrue Holiday is out for at least a couple of more weeks due to a stress reaction in his right leg. It will be really hard for the Pelicans to stay the course given his absence.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

2014-15 Southwest Division Preview

   

                                          (credit 7poundbag.com)
   
     The NBA season starts today, so I'm trying to get these previews under the gun! I am moving on to my preview of the Southwest Division, home to the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, and New Orleans Pelicans. As has been standard protocol on my previews, I will list each team in order of where I think they will finish with their win total in parentheses.

   

                                              San Antonio Spurs (59) 

     

     The machine that is known as the San Antonio Spurs is coming off their fifth NBA championship in franchise history and they don't show any signs of slowing down. Just when you think they are ready to head for a "re-building" period, they continue to find ways to compete, contend, and win NBA championships. 

     What is probably most frightening for opponents of the Spurs is the emergence of Kawhi Leonard as the next superstar of the franchise. The franchise appears to be in good hands with Kawhi Leonard as their star once Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker retire. In addition to Leonard, Tiago Splitter also appears to be on the verge of being another key piece to build around for years to come. 

     As for this season, Splitter and especially Leonard should really take the pressure off of the Spurs' "Big Three", allowing them to spend more time resting for the playoffs without the worry of losing too much ground in the standings. The key to the Spurs' success is the balance between making sure their core veterans are rested for the playoffs and also making sure that they are still winning enough games in the regular season to position themselves well for the playoffs. The Spurs appear to have the pieces to accomplish the goal of keeping the old guys fresh while also making a run for the top spot in the West. So long as they are able to do this, they are sure to be a really scary team. 

     Lastly, the Spurs have Gregg Popovich, who in my opinion is arguably the greatest coach in the history of the NBA. If there is any man who can help the Spurs maintain a perfect balance between rest and playoff positioning, it's Gregg Popovich. He will once again do a masterful job with this team and make sure his guys are ready for the playoffs. 

                                              Houston Rockets (54) 

     

     The Houston Rockets are truly what I call a "two-man freak show" now that Omer Asik and Chandler Parsons are gone. This "freak show" consists of James Harden and Dwight Howard. Harden continues to be one of the league's best shooting guards, averaging 25.4 points and 6.1 assists per game last season and Howard is still the league's best center. 

     The key thing to look for in this Rockets team is whether or not both of these guys are ready to carry the load and take on the responsibility of being the leaders of a championship caliber team. This team was designed to be a contending team with Howard and Harden as the foundation. It's time that these two guys prove that they can be such a foundation. 

     The Rockets don't have a championship caliber supporting cast around Howard and Harden, but that doesn't mean Howard and Harden can't play like a championship caliber duo. The Rockets' success this season has to be measured by the performance of Howard and Harden as a duo and not by the team's overall success. 

     This team as presently constituted, even if Howard and Harden become a championship caliber duo, is not going to win the Western Conference crown. The very best case scenario for the Rockets is that they win a series and maybe take 2 games in the next round. If they do that, they can be confident in Howard and Harden as their duo for the future. 

     

     

                                                Dallas Mavericks (52)

When looking at the Mavericks' roster, the first thing that jumps out at me is all the possible options they have at point guard. They have Monta Ellis (more of a shooting guard), Jameer Nelson, Devin Harris, and Raymond Felton all on their roster. This is rather unusual and I expect them to trade one of these guards before the trade deadline. 

     Anyways, on to the rest of the team! Dirk Nowitzki is still getting it done as one of the league's best players, averaging 21.7 points per game last season. He showed last season that he is still capable of leading a team to a championship provided he gets enough help. Does he have enough help? I don't think so, but Monta Ellis is a really nice #2 option for the Mavericks to have as is newly acquired small forward Chandler Parsons, who is coming over from their in-state rival Houston Rockets. Both of those guys are really solid players who help take the pressure off of Dirk Nowitzki. 

     Ultimately, I expect the Mavericks to be in the playoff mix all season and if they get a good first round opponent, they could find themselves in the second round of the playoffs. However, the Western Conference is really competitive and a lot of teams will be breathing down the Mavericks' neck all season. Look for the Mavericks to be a competitive team this season, but not a contending team. 

                                             

                                            Memphis Grizzlies (51) 

     The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a very good season in which they took the Oklahoma City Thunder to a Game 7 in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Last year they had a really competitive team that didn't quite seem to be able to get over the hump. Can they get over the hump this year? 

     Reason to believe that they can is that they added Vince Carter, which is a signing I have applauded on BealeStreetBears.com, a Memphis Grizzlies website I write for. The reason why I applaud this signing is that Carter brings three-point shooting, experience, an additional scoring punch, and a clutch factor to the team. He's a guy who this team can trust to hit big shots in big moments. While the team is still built around Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley, Carter's presence will be huge this season as a guy who can on occasion step up like they do. 

     The Grizzlies should once again be a competitive team this season. Their core group is intact with Tony Allen as the heart and soul of their grind it out defensive style of play. They also added Jordan Adams from UCLA in the draft to give them another much needed long-ball threat. This team has the makeup to make some noise in the playoffs as we saw last season. But it remains to be seen whether or not they can make the jump from scaring teams like the Thunder and Clippers to actually knocking them out of the playoffs. 

     

                         

                                                     New Orleans Pelicans (39)

     Anthony Davis appears to be on the verge of superstardom which should be great news for the Pelicans. The problem for them, however,  is that this could also indicate he's on the verge of leaving. The key thing for this Pelicans team to do is convince Anthony Davis that he can compete in New Orleans and that they are capable of building a competitive team around him. If they can do that this season, then they'll have had a good year. 

     Whether or not they accomplish this goal largely comes down to health. Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, and Eric Gordon, who all are the main guys built around Davis, have had injuries during their careers. If they can stay healthy and figure out how to play together, things could look rather promising for the Pelicans. If they don't stay healthy, then things will look rough and complicated for the Pelicans as well as the future of Anthony Davis with the team. 

     As for this season, I don't expect the Pelicans to make the playoffs or come close. They should improve from last season and come close to 40 wins, but they'll likely need at least 44 wins to make the playoffs.  I don't see them making that kind of improvement in one season. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Wednesday Windmill: What's up with the New Orleans Pelicans?

One of the more quiet teams in the NBA is the New Orleans Pelicans. They are a team that has one of the league's brightest young stars in Anthony Davis while also possessing the most ridiculous nickname in the history of the NBA. Beyond that, there really isn't much people are saying about them. They failed to make the playoffs last season and likely will miss the playoffs this season.

You combine that with the fact that they are in small market and you get nothing to really talk about, right? Well, if that were the case I wouldn't be blogging about them right now, so clearly there is something to say about them, but what exactly? I've already addressed their horrible nickname and their budding superstar Anthony Davis. What else is there to address?

The honest answer is nothing other than the scary possibility that all they may have to attract fans in a few seasons is nothing more than a goofy nickname and a creepy mascot. That's right, you guessed it:  Anthony Davis isn't likely to stay with the Pelicans long-term. The very idea of Davis not staying with the Pelicans for the long-term has to be making their front office very worried since he is their future.

Just like how Obi-Wan Kenobi was Princess Leia's only hope in Episode IV of Star Wars, Anthony Davis is the only hope the Pelicans have of being any good in the future. As a number one overall pick who can dominate the paint both offensively and defensively, Davis will be highly sought after by many NBA teams once he hits restricted free agency in 2017.

The question that the Pelicans need to answer is "How do we keep him from wanting out of New Orleans?" Even if they are able to hang on to him in restricted free agency, they still need to be able to convince him that New Orleans is a place where he can win championships. While many believe that Davis is capable of winning championships, few believe that New Orleans is capable of winning championships, and therein lies the dilemma.

                                                 (credit: usatoday.com) 

The Pelicans have to convince Davis that they can win championships with him or he's going to eventually leave. A backcourt of Eric Gordon and Jrue Holiday is a nice start, no doubt, but the fact that both players are prone to injury makes them a dicey package to sell to Anthony Davis. Can they contend with a trio of Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, and Jrue Holiday in a few seasons? I think the honest answer is "maybe", but "maybe" isn't going to be enough to keep Davis around.

The bottom line is that the Pelicans have to get more around Anthony Davis than what they have. One tradable asset that they have is Tyreke Evans. He's likely going to remain coming off the bench, which automatically makes him rather expendable. I don't mean to say that quality sixth men are always expendable, I'm just saying that they are the first guys to look at when looking at tradable assets.

Evans happens to be a sixth man who is a legit trade chip for the Pelicans. He's very talented and its unclear how exactly he fits in with the team long-term. Trading him could be a good start to getting a better team around Anthony Davis.

At the end of the day, what's up with the Pelicans is that they have the potential to be really good, but it's unclear what their next step needs to be to ensure that they reach their full potential. To be honest, they have to have an attitude of "Whatever Anthony Davis wants, we'll do it".

They need to establish a very good relationship with him on the front end and let him know that whatever he wants, they'll do. If they can at least do that, then they may be able to hang on to him and establish a winning brand. Otherwise, they'll be a team with a silly nickname and a poor product on the floor.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord