New Orleans Pelicans: 5 goals for the 2018 offseason

1. Fix the small forward problem

Throughout this past season, the Pelicans were left without a traditional small forward that they felt comfortable giving the starting job to.

To counter their roster imbalance, coach Alvin Gentry slotted shooting guard E’Twaun Moore into the 3-spot, and it paid off, to the tune of 12.5 points per game on 42.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc in the regular season.

Despite Moore’s stellar play, at only 6’4”, the former Chicago Bull gives up a tremendous amount of height relative to most small forwards, making him a target for opposing wings to go at on offense — something made clear in the conference semis against Golden State.

With two capable ball-handlers on the perimeter and one of the best in the league down low, New Orleans needs a prototypical 3-and-D wing, someone who can, like the title suggests, shoot from distance while guarding the other team’s best wing on the other end.

Looking at the free agent market, Paul George would be a best-case scenario, but he’s not even looking at New Orleans as a possible future home, and the team may not even have the money for him.

Trevor Ariza is one of the best role players in the game and could be had depending on his price range. Will Barton is another guy that fits the 3-and-D mold. Though slightly undersized at 6’6”, he always plays with energy and effort that makes up for it.

A lot of who the Pelicans could bring in depends largely on what they plan to do with Cousins. Either way, they need to get someone who can defend his position at a high level without sacrificing anything on offense.

Next: Complete 2018 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams

Moore may be the answer on offense, but with his height, he’s not the answer on defense.