New Orleans Pelicans: Mortgaging The Future For Now

Nobody knew what the New Orleans Pelicans were doing. General manager Dell Demps was equipped with a young stud (Anthony Davis) that was coming off of an injury-riddled rookie season and the No. 6 overall pick in the NBA draft. The career of Eric Gordon was trending downward after signing a king-sized contract prior to the 2012-13 season.

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Useful rotation and glue guys such as Robin Lopez and Greivis Vasquez were productive players for their respective roles, but was their presence blocking the ability for younger players (such as — cough cough — Austin Rivers) to get some playing time and grow? And what is their worth once they hit the free agent market?

Demps was in a pickle. Employed by an owner that was desperate to enter the playoff party, his hand was forced entering the summer of 2013. The team had to make strides and perhaps even sneak into the eighth playoff seed in the Western Conference. His job could be on the line otherwise, and he knew it.

So, like any man would, he obliged and gave into the demands of Tom Benson. On the night of the 2013 draft, Demps had the golden opportunity to select Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel — a gangly tree with shot blocking chops and a Fresh Prince haircut.

Sure, Noel had fallen from the top spot because teams were skeptical of his offensive game and his torn ACL, but under most scenarios, you select him with the sixth pick regardless. Stick Noel and Davis beside one another in the paint. No questions asked.

However, Demps was not in a typical scenario because (bless Mr. Benson’s heart) his owner wanted to win before it was too late. Therefore Demps called up new Philadelphia 76ers GM Sam Hinkie (otherwise known as the “pale one“) and inquired about All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday.

Hinkie demanded the sixth overall pick and a 2014 first-rounder for Holiday and Demps pulled the trigger because well, he had to.

Disclaimer: I could totally be giving Demps way too much benefit of the doubt here. There is a chance that he was the one spearheading all of these ridiculous win-now trades because of the ideas in his own head rather than the thoughts of Mr. Benson.

But I digress …

In two seasons, Holiday has been a slight disappointment due to his knack for acquiring nagging injuries that cause him to miss chunks of time. Holiday has great size, knows how to work the pick and roll with Davis and can disrupt opposing point guards with his length on the defensive end.

The only thing is that he just can’t stay on the court enough to justify trading TWO first round picks (the second first-rounder equated to Elfrid Payton and Elfrid Payton’s hair) for his services.

Sometimes the best ability is availability, my friends.

Next, Demps scoured the restricted free agent market for any players that could potentially make an impact on a quick playoff push. Enter Tyreke Evans, a once highly regarded rookie that hadn’t really improved since. The Pellies threw a four-year, $44 million offer sheet at the restricted free agent and the Sacramento Kings resisted the urge to match the offer.

In two short weeks, New Orleans had obtained two ball-dominant guards that were similar in stature and skill set. A peculiar use of $22 million in cap space if you ask me (Holiday and Evans both make around $11 million a season).

Robin Lopez was shipped off to Portland for Jeff Withey and a second-round pick, which quietly is one of the worst trades of the past two seasons. Why trade Lopez (a big, productive player that knows his role) for an unproven young guy and a useless asset? Doesn’t that contradict the whole playoffs or bust mantra?

The thing that really compounds the confusion of this trade is that Demps proceeded to throw a first-round pick at the Houston Rockets for Omer Asik the very next summer.

WHAT??? Lopez and Asik are basically the same player, except one has crazy hair and one sweats profusely! Not to mention that Asik was more expensive and is an impending free agent this summer (so is Lopez, by the way).

So to recap, Demps traded Lopez and three first-round picks for Holiday, Withey and a second-round pick because his owner had no patience.

(Cue the sarcastic clap sound effects.)

The funny thing is that despite the long, crazy road that Demps has taken Pelicans fans, they are on the cusp of a playoff berth. So maybe I don’t know what I am talking about after all.

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Maybe Demps got lucky that Davis took THE LEAP sooner than expected and the rest of the cast of characters figured things out along the way. Maybe it was a good thing (I am never rooting for players to get injured and I actually really enjoy Holiday’s game) that Holiday didn’t play more games.

It took a lot of circumstances for the stars to align for the Pelicans this season. Had they gone the Noel and Payton route, they would have probably been a 35-win team this season.

Sure, they would be much more Vine-worthy and mindf*** us all into wondering what the hell they are going to be in two seasons (much like how most of us feel about the Orlando Magic currently), but they would not be in the position they are today.

Personally, I would rather see Davis on the playoff stage against the NBA’s best team. I want to see him take the next step like Durant did in the 2010 first round against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers. Remarkably, I may be given the opportunity to watch that happen next week thanks to the moves of Demps and the ambitions of Benson.

Who knows what the future holds for the Pelicans, but as for right now, I am not complaining.

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