3 reasons New Orleans Pelicans won’t make the 2019 NBA Playoffs

The New Orleans Pelicans went 48-34 and won a playoff series last season, but that success is far from guaranteed to continue into 2018-19.

The New Orleans Pelicans are not going to win the championship in 2018-19, and even in the best-case scenario, the team wouldn’t be close to title contention. That’s the simple truth of things, and both the organization and its fans should absolutely be worried about wasting precious years of Anthony Davis‘ career.

With the recent news that Davis has officially signed with LeBron James‘ friend and agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, the unfortunate countdown until Davis either re-signs or requests a trade has begun. If the Pelicans do not make the playoffs this year, the situation in New Orleans will go from anxiety-inducing to full-on dread.

Even last year’s success rested on a questionable foundation; the Pelicans were only two games away from being out of the playoffs entirely, and their point differential was just +1.3 — ninth in the West.

After an offseason of losing key contributors DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo and replacing them with Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton, the front office hasn’t lifted anyone’s hopes substantially.

Here are three reasons why the Pelicans will fall short in their quest to make the 2019 NBA Playoffs.