Does Tony Allen move the needle for the New Orleans Pelicans?

Is Tony Allen the guy who can help the New Orleans Pelicans reach the next level?

Many have expected that the New Orleans Pelicans to make some major waves for this upcoming season, especially with the signings of Rajon Rondo and Ian Clark.

So now the Pelicans have one of the best point guard pairings in the league with Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo.  They also have the best frontcourt in the league with Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.

Around the league, many experts believe that this squad can be a decent playoff team. The only setback they endured was the loss of their starting small forward, Solomon Hill. In response, Tony Allen was signed by the New Orleans Pelicans to a one-year deal, according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania.

That move by the Pelicans got a mixed reaction in the NBA universe. You’ve seen all the hot takes the past few days on how many people have perceived this signing.

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Does Tony Allen make a difference for the New Orleans Pelicans? The short answer is yes.

The Pelicans desperately needed a wing player that can shore up the loss of Solomon Hill. The only issue is that it wasn’t an upgrade on the offensive end.  Solomon Hill shot 34.8 percent from the 3-point line last season. Tony Allen was abysmal from the outside arc, only shooting around 27.8 percent.

There is a reason why Tony Allen can be a difference-maker for the Pelicans this season. It isn’t for his offensive woes.

He brings the intangibles

The most obvious one is his defense, the bread and butter of his basketball acumen.

The New Orleans Pelicans ranked as the ninth-best defensive team in the league last year. Their defensive rating was 104.9, mainly because of Anthony Davis.

The issue that the Pelicans needed to address was getting a wing player that can match up with the best players in the league.  They needed a player who can guard the top wing players in their own division like Harrison Barnes, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.

Tony Allen can do it if he’s healthy and doesn’t play extended minutes. Last season with the Memphis Grizzles, Tony Allen averaged around 27.0 minutes per game in the 71 games he played in.

What else does he bring to the table?

The most important intangibles he brings to the Pelicans is heart, experience and leadership.

Tony Allen was the godfather of Grit-N-Grind. He personified the identity and culture of a franchise that had no direction when he got there.

Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol made their mark in the Grindhouse but Tony Allen arguably was the one who gave them the blueprint.

His championship pedigree from the Boston Celtics turned the Grizzles around to being one of the top teams in the league for years. Now guys like Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins will have a teammate who will bring heart and leadership to the squad.

Next: Complete 2017 NBA offseason grades for all 30 teams

Can Tony Allen help transform the New Orleans Pelicans into a defensive juggernaut? Or will the high expections of this signing be the downfall of the Pelicans season?