Will Dante Cunningham step up to the plate this season and make a huge impact for the New Orleans Pelicans?
For Dante Cunningham and the New Orleans Pelicans this season, major changes will need to be made. This is a team that many experts have projected to be a playoff team by the end of the season.
The usual suspects of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins will grab all the media headlines and All-Star votes. Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo will nab some of the spotlight on the starting unit, and we can’t forget about Tony Allen and his defensive prowess for his new team.
The underrated story for this Pelicans season will be the bench and how well they perform this season. Underrated signings like Ian Clark this past summer were made to improve the second unit, but on Sept. 19, the Pelicans brought back a player they desperately needed after the injury to Solomon Hill last month.
According to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, the New Orleans Pelicans re-signed Dante Cunningham to a one-year, $2.3 million dollar deal. This was a move that was needed to be made for all the right basketball reasons. He was one of the only bright spots in last year’s tumultuous season, averaging 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 66 appearances.
This upcoming season will be a completely different animal for Dante Cunningham, as he’ll no longer be playing on a likely lottery team. Expectations and buzz has surrounded the New Orleans Pelicans, so how can Dante stand out this year?
Shooting
Last season, Dante Cunningham shot 39.2 percent from the 3-point line, which was the best mark any Pelican player made that year. Teams like Minnesota, Milwaukee and Toronto were looking to sign the 30-year-old forward exclusively for his outside stroke. For the Pelicans, re-signing Cunningham will pay dividends this upcoming season.
Dante Cunningham can stretch the floor and play along side either Cousins or Davis in small-ball scenarios. Opposing defenses will double team either All-Star on the post and force them to settle for contested mid-range jump shots. If Cunningham can hit the 40 percent mark, defenders will be forced to guard him consistently.
Outside shooting from key players like Dante Cunningham and Ian Clark will help Davis and Cousins in the long haul. Both big men will need defenses to respect their teammates’ skill-sets while they do damage in the paint.
Flexibility
With the loss of Solomon Hill to injury during the summer, the small forward position will be up for grabs in training camp. Dante Cunningham has started 35 games for the Pelicans last season and could be an early favorite to nab that starting slot.
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Cunningham is only one of the handful of players who’s been with the Pelicans for three straight seasons. His familiarity with the Gentry gameplay will be crucial in understanding his role as a rotation player. If Cunningham is slotted in the starting unit, his size will be critical in switching defensive schemes. He’ll guard both the small and power forwards seamlessly.
Last season, Dante Cunningham’s defensive rating was 106.1, which was the second-lowest of his career. Cunningham is capable of playing great defense if his team can handle its defensive assignments. Last time Cunningham had his best defensive rating of 98.8 was with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2011-12 season.
The Pelicans have a great opportunity this season to play above-average defense with the pieces they acquired. Cunningham can handle his defensive assignments if the team is collectively making key stops during the game.
Improvements
Dante Cunningham will also need to dramatically improve on his free throw shooting this year. Last season he shot 59.3 percent from the charity stripe, which is horrendous for a player who can stretch the floor and knock down 3-pointers. If his free throw numbers remain the same this season, opposing teams will constantly foul him, which will be detrimental to the Pelicans’ game plan.
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Can Dante Cunningham be the X-factor the Pelicans desperately need in this 82-game season? Or will the eight-year veteran wither away on the bench for the fourth straight season?