New Orleans Pelicans: 2017-18 NBA season preview

Storyline 1: Winging it?

For a team that struggled mightily with floor-spacing and perimeter shot creation last season, the Pelicans’ additions of Rondo and Allen were peculiar at best. It is unclear if Demps is following a specific plan here, or is simply going off the cuff.

The Rondo signing could be explained as a way to get Holdiay — the team’s best outside shooter — off the ball more, but is more likely yet another example of a team overvaluing Rondo’s antiquated skill-set and declining game.

Allen’s defense is a boon for any team that signs him, but no more than his shooting is a burden. For a team planning on playing two traditional bigs and Rondo, the latter issue is compounded.

In theory, the Clark signing is far more logical. He is a quality 3-point threat and a heady cutter, perfect for a team loaded with ball handling and passing. However, he is a 6’3″ one-position defender, and a bad one at that. It is a stretch to play him at the 2, making the Rondo signing all the more perplexing.

Ultimately, there is only one wing combo the Pelicans can field that gives them any semblance of proper size and floor-spacing: Moore and Miller. The problem is that Moore is a fringe starter at best, and Miller is a fringe NBA player.

Maybe head coach Alvin Gentry has a plan. Maybe he envisions a way to leverage Rondo’s playmaking, incorporate Allen as a cutter, cobble together a decent offense and dominate defensively. Squeezing value from ill-fitting pieces has not been his forte through two seasons at the helm though, and that will be an even bigger problem in the frontcourt.