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Southwest division watch: Will the Pelicans ever fly?
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- Southwest division watch: Will the Pelicans ever fly?
Another division, another team that is trying to find a better day now that the Golden State Warriors dynasty is on its last legs. We're in the Southwest division now; let's take it straight to the bottom. I'm not just talking about the division standings, I'm talking the Bayou where the New Orleans Pelicans reside. The Warriors took two of three from New Orleans last season, getting the best of a team that went 26-56 last year.
They fired their coach, hired Jamahl Mosley away from Orlando, and then just… stopped for a month. No first-round picks. No major free agency moves. Definitely no significant trades. They LOST Kevon Looney?! What part of the game is that? Even Sports Illustrated couldn't believe it:
Coming off another disappointing sub-30-win season, the New Orleans Pelicans needed to make swift changes this offseason. That started with a brand-new coaching staff led by former Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, who will try to rebuild the Pelicans' culture. Many thought sweeping personnel changes would be next after the team won just 26 games last year.
This is a team that won 26 games and acted like it just made the conference finals. At least they resigned DeAndre Jordan? Then, deep into the offseason, New Orleans finally did something. They got Bennedict Mathurin off the Clippers for two years and $16 million.
Now here's what's curious: New Orleans already has Zion Williamson barreling toward the rim. Derik Queen wants to live down there too. Can't forget that Dejounte Murray and Saddiq Bey like to get busy around the rim and aren't exactly keeping defenders awake at night from three. Trey Murphy III can shoot the hell out of it, but somebody's got to give that man some help. Herbert Jones made an All-Defensive team two years ago, and his three-point shot has cratered to 31 percent over the last two seasons.
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So naturally the Pelicans went out… and got another dude who wants to attack the basket?! But don't take my word for it, just ask the folks from Pelicans Debrief:
The one thing that always seems to elude the Pelicans is three-point shooting. When you look at their current roster, they only have one legitimate three-point shooter, and that is Trey Murphy III. Unfortunately, three-point shooting is not Mathurin's strongest skill. He did shoot 37% from three in his sophomore season. He was able to replicate that in the first half of last season with the Pacers. However, when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, he shot an abysmal 20% from three.
Twenty percent! I don't want to use my journalism powers out of turn, but it may be time to do a Perry Mason style investigation of whether or not the Pelicans are in forever tank mode. By the way, as much as people bemoan the Warriors injury issues, the Pelicans REALLY can't stay healthy. Dejounte Murray played 14 games last year coming back from a ruptured Achilles. Zion playing 60 games still qualifies as a special occasion.
And to add insult to injury, the one guy other than Murphy who I would really believe is supposed to be a stone cold shooter is a champion and Warriors fan-favorite Jordan Poole! What did he shoot from beyond the arc last season? 33%?! Nononono this can't be. Somebody free my dawg JP!
If the Warriors want to make any kind of noise in the playoffs next season, beating teams like the Pelicans is mandatory. Even one misstep against a team like this can put a team on the bubble straight out of the sixth seed and into the play-in tournament, which the Warriors haven't had the best of luck in since its inception. #FreePoole
