New Orleans Pelicans: The Case For Taking A Small Forward

Shabazz Muhammad could be smart pick for the New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo Credit: SportsAngle.com)

Last year, the New Orleans Pelicans — then known as the Hornets — received the coveted No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft and used it to select Kentucky’s Anthony Davis. One year later, you would have to assume the Pelicans are pleased with their choice. Davis played extremely well as a rookie and had he not missed time early in the season due to a knee injury, he might have won Rookie Of The Year over Portland’s Damian Lillard. But while Davis gave the Pelicans a lift, they still found themselves in the lottery, this time picking at No. 6. If they are able to hit on a second straight pick, they could form an extremely talented young core and become a playoff team for years to come. So, where should the Pelicans look?

The position where they need the most help would have to be the small forward spot. Al-Farouq Aminu was the starter in that job last year and while he had some quality games here and there, he could also disappear from games entirely. Aminu would be a decent player to bring off the bench, but as a starter he’s fairly lacking. Luckily, this draft has its fair share of small forwards that will go in the lottery, giving the Pelicans a chance to bolster their weakest position. The best small forward in the draft is most likely Georgetown’s Otto Porter, who has struck many as a potential franchise player. Porter would be a great choice for the Pelicans, but there’s a strong chance he will be gone for the Pelicans make their choice at N0. 6. That leaves New Orleans with a choice — try to trade for Porter, or take one of the other options available at the small forward spot.

One particularly intriguing choice would be Indiana’s Victor Oladipo. Oladipo is capable of playing both the 2 and 3 positions and is strong on both sides of the ball. It’s not certain if Oladipo will be available for the Pelicans — the Phoenix Suns may take him one pick earlier — but if he is on the board, new Orleans would be wise to snap him up. He’s a tough, fearless player who could certainly become a franchise cornerstone.

If Oladipo is off the board, the Pelicans would have to take a long, long look at UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad. Like Oladipo, Muhammad is capable of being a shooting guard or a small forward. He is also one of the best pure scorers in the draft and would likely improve the Pelicans offense immediately. His versatility, coupled with his great offensive prowess, makes him an excellent pick for the Pelicans on multiple levels. The Pelicans could use him as their starting mall forward or bring him in as a sixth man. Additionally, he would make the Eric Gordon situation much easier to deal with. The Pelicans don’t know what they’re going to get out of Gordon due to his frequent injury history and his diminished production in 2012-13 . Bringing in Muhammad would give them another great scorer. If Gordon is out of the lineup, Muhammad may be able to replicate his production. And if they can play together, the Pelicans would have one of the more dangerous offensive attacks in the NBA. Certainly, the Pelicans have to be taking a long look at Muhammad.

If New Orleans, wants to go bigger they could consider UNLV’s Anthony Bennett, a power forward who may be capable of playing the 3. If he could work on the court at the same time as Davis, New Orleans would become an extremely fearsome team, with one of the biggest lineups in the game. Bennett was one of the most dominant players in college last year and some have speculated that he’s the best overall talent in this draft. The thought of adding Bennett and creating a fearsome duo of big forwards has to be tantalizing to the Pelicans.

Clearly, this team has options. Small forward is the biggest hole on the team and there are several players who they could plug it with. The Pelicans have a serious chance to become a much better team on Thursday. Only time will tell which of the players we’ve talked about is the best, but really the Pelicans couldn’t go wrong with any of them.