New Orleans Pelicans: 3 big questions heading 2018-19 NBA season

1. Will the lack of wing depth hold the Pelicans back?

When anyone talks about the Pelicans, one of the first things that will be mentioned is the team’s lack of quality wing depth. As things currently stand, E’Twaun Moore, Darius Miller and Solomon Hill are the only wings on the team, with Moore playing small forward as an undersized 6’4″ guard.

As a result, Jrue Holiday often finds himself guarding the opponent’s best offensive player. While Holiday is a top-notch defender, New Orleans is certainly one quality wing player away from being a true threat in the conference.

Moore (42.5 percent) and Miller (41.1 percent) provided elite shooting for New Orleans last season, and their floor-spacing will be needed once again this season, especially when Randle and Davis are both on the floor.

However, while Moore was a net positive on the defensive end, Miller was a serious liability on that end of the floor, as the team’s defense was 5.5 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the floor. What New Orleans really needs is for Hill to bounce back and perform like the 3-and-D wing he was toward the end of the 2015-16 season.

If Hill can hit 3-pointers at a league-average rate while providing quality defense, he could be the internal solution to the issue for the Pelicans.

However, if he continues to struggle with his shooting or consistency, it’s likely that GM Dell Demps will be looking for a midseason pickup on the wing to bolster the Pelicans’ playoff chances.