What Is The Pelicans’ Best Frontcourt Arrangement?
Anthony Davis is a big man of the future, a long and athletic young big who can protect the rim, throw down lob passes, crash the boards at both ends, and shoot out to the arc. If Kristaps Porzingis is a unicorn, then Anthony Davis is a Pegasus.
Since drafting Davis, the Pelicans have struggled to place the right pieces around him. Both Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans have good chemistry with Davis from the backcourt, but his frontcourt partners have been less desirable.
Initially Davis was slotted as a power forward, set up alongside Robin Lopez, Omer Asik, and even Kendrick Perkins. These slow-footed centers could absorb contact to protect Davis’ body, but their lack of quickness meant New Orleans couldn’t fully maximize Davis’ versatility in a switch-everything defensive scheme. On offense they crowded the paint, not leaving room for Davis to soar to the rim.
Pelican Debrief
Ryan Anderson was the most dynamic offensive pairing, opening up the floor with his shooting. But as a complete swinging door on defense, Anderson didn’t solve the defensive issues, so such lineups were only marginally better.
While Omer Asik is still around, the Pelicans have a number of new options in the frontcourt, and each offers unique combinations when paired with Anthony Davis. In addition, each slides Davis to the center, where he can be most effective on offense against slower opposing centers.
Solomon Hill was the summer’s biggest signing for New Orleans, available due to Indiana’s inexplicable decline of his fourth-year option. A combo forward, Hill projects out best as a stretch-4. Unlike Ryan Anderson, Hill could pair with Davis on both ends of the court, sliding into a switch-heavy scheme on defense.
Terrence Jones joined the Pelicans on a make-good one-year contract, seeking redemption after a complete disaster last season held him back from the lucrative extension he was in store for. Jones is skilled and can score from all over the court. Two seasons ago he put up solid rebounding and block numbers per 36 minutes, making a powerful impact during his reserve minutes.
New Orleans offers a similar role, and more minutes the more Davis plays at center. If he can reclaim his offensive prowess, teams will struggle to match up against the scoring ability of Jones and Davis inside.
The final combination may be one for late season or even years to come, as rookie Cheick Diallo enters the league as a raw prospect out of Kansas. Diallo is slated for a deep bench role this season, but he brings hyper-athleticism and a constant motor. Against the Houston Rockets this preseason Diallo dropped 12 points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes. Paired together, Davis and Diallo would almost certainly be the two best athletes on the court at any given time.
Next: Ranking The Top 10 NBA Centers In 2016-17
Anthony Davis is going to shine no matter who is around him, but it’s on head coach Alvin Gentry to find the best lineups to maximize his star’s talent and win basketball games. This offseason gave them more options to find the right ones.