The New Orleans Pelicans' summer has raised some eyebrows with the lack of movement this offseason. Aside from their second-round draft pick, Jaron Pierre, Jr., their only notable move was re-signing 37-year-old center DeAndre Jordan to a guaranteed two-year contract. Even with Jordan's re-signing, the Pelicans have a noticeable hole at the center position, and they only have one roster spot remaining.
New Orleans' current center rotation consists of third-year raw player Yves Missi, the veteran Jordan, and former second-round pick Karlo Matkovic. The Pelicans plan to play both Zion Williamson and Derik Queen together on the court for extended spurts. Last season, that duo was among the worst on the team in both defensive and net rating. Ideally, the team would like to fill that final spot with some insurance at center heading into the season.
Most, if not all, of the big-name centers are already off the board, leaving New Orleans scrambling to find a warm body in the middle. If they can't find a serviceable big to add additional depth, the Pelicans will most likely struggle again defensively in the interior.
Over the last two seasons, they were among the worst defensive-rebounding teams in the league, near the bottom of the NBA. It's possible the Pelicans could leave the spot open for now, with plans on a trade down the line that could absorb an additional player if they decide to move on from one of their high-priced guards, Jordan Poole or Dejounte Murray.
The Pelicans are about $8.2 million from the luxury tax line and have never paid the tax in their history. Keeping the roster spot open helps them avoid triggering hard caps or tax thresholds prematurely, giving them leeway to make a move closer to the trade deadline. They could also look into cheaper options from their Summer League roster. This ideally isn't the answer to their center problem long-term, but here on the roster may be the only way to currently operate given their circumstances.
Kobe Bufkin was a standout in the Pelicans' opening Summer League game , pouring in a game-high 30 points. The former first-round pick is looking to revive his career after debilitating injuries derailed the first three years in the league. Bufkin proved he can score in multiple ways on the court and was even disruptive on defense. He probably showed enough on film to deserve a roster spot on an NBA team, but his signing with the Pelicans doesn't make much sense.
Between Murray, Poole, Jeremiah Fears, and Herb Jones, who sometimes takes the ball up and initiates offense, there simply aren't enough minutes to justify using a standard roster spot on another guard. New Orleans would be better to try and sign him to an open two-way roster spot, but he may have done enough to warrant another team to sign him.
The absolute best-case scenario is keeping the spot open while actively working the phones for a starting-caliber center. If a trade doesn't materialize by training camp, they are banking on newly hired head coach Jamahl Mosley to help raise the team's defensive prowess . Mosley is a defensive motivator, and with such a young team, creating good habits early could lead to good results throughout the season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/pelicans/onsi as What Should Pelicans Do With Their Final Roster Spot? .
