New Orleans Pelicans: 2019-20 NBA season preview
By Phil Watson
Storyline 3: Mix with caution
The New Orleans Pelicans will have a broad demographic spectrum on their roster this season and that sort of dichotomy between young players and established veterans can go well or it can go less than well (see Boston Celtics, 2018-19, for details).
On one end of the spectrum, the Pelicans have a strong veteran presence with incumbent guard Jrue Holiday entering his 11th season and holdover rotational wing E’Twaun Moore going into his ninth. Throw in newcomers J.J. Redick (entering his 14th season) and Derrick Favors (going into year No. 10) and there is a lot of wisdom in the locker room.
On the other end, however, there are three rookies in Zion Williamson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes who combined to play four seasons of college basketball, while a fourth rookie, Nicolo Melli, is already 28 years old.
Let’s put it this way. When Redick enrolled at Duke University as a freshman, Williamson was two years old.
Now, they’re teammates and fellow products of Coach K’s vaunted Blue Devils program.
The youth movement is the future of the Pelicans, but it will be important for coach Alvin Gentry to mix the two age groups in such a way that cliques and schisms don’t form in the locker room.
We saw what happens when even one veteran gets off book with the kids with the Celtics last season. The Pelicans would be wise to take steps right away, if they haven’t already started to take them, to get their rebuild off on the right foot without any disharmony between the guys who have paid their dues and the young players who are beginning to pay theirs.
Ideally, Redick becomes a mentor figure for Alexander-Walker and Brandon Ingram, Holiday takes Lonzo Ball under his wing and Derrick Favors can teach Hayes the ins and outs of being a successful NBA big man.
If that happens, this rebuild could get off to a rousing start.