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It’s no secret that the New Orleans Pelicans are building their team around Zion Williamson, and they will have this in mind in the days leading up to the NBA trade deadline. The Pelicans are currently six games under .500 and are three games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the 10th seed in the Western Conference.
Securing that seeding position would make the New Orleans Pelicans eligible for one of the play-in tournament spots.
While the Pelicans are offensively one of the best teams in the league right now, a couple of changes need to be made for them to make a playoff run.
So, what do they need at the moment?
Identifying New Orleans Pelicans’ 3 biggest needs ahead of NBA trade deadline
The biggest issue facing the New Orleans Pelicans is on the defensive end. They are second to last in the NBA in defensive rating, just ahead of the Sacramento Kings. Defense is their pressing need, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Pelicans give up a little bit of offense to improve defensively.
#1 A full-time shooting guard
One of their most pressing needs is a shooting guard who not only makes his threes but can also defend.
J.J. Redick would have been a natural fit to play alongside Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. However, his defensive shortcomings often negate any positives that his shooting threat provides.
Eric Bledsoe as the starting shooting guard just isn’t enough to move the needle for the New Orleans Pelicans. He's a converted point guard, and the Pelicans need a natural two-guard right now. As good as he was defensively last season (2nd Team All-Defense) for the Milwaukee Bucks, Bledsoe has regressed, and it is made more glaring because the Pelicans don’t have a solid paint protector.
Bradley Beal or Victor Oladipo could be the answer here, although the latter might be more available than the former.
#2 Interior defender
Steven Adams isn’t the answer to the New Orleans Pelicans’ defensive woes in the paint. The same is true for Jaxson Hayes. After showing plenty of promise as a rookie, Hayes lost minutes this season to Willy Hernangomez.
The New Orleans Pelicans can’t stop opponents from scoring inside and they need help. Nola.com’s Christian Clark wrote in this regard:
“Opponents are converting 66.9% of their shots at the rim against New Orleans, according to Cleaning the Glass. That is the fifth-worst mark in the league.”
JaVale McGee or Andre Drummond could be within the New Orleans Pelicans’ reach if executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin can put together an intriguing package of picks and players.
#3 Frontcourt Depth
The drop in talent when Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson take a breather is quite significant. This may be more apparent because of how gifted these two players are, but it shows how much work Griffin has to do in order to put together a team that can compete for a playoff spot.
Larry Nance Jr. has been linked to the New Orleans Pelicans, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, as a player who can provide depth to their frontcourt. Nance was a teammate of many former LA Lakers players on the New Orleans Pelicans roster, and they all speak highly of him.
Nance can play forward or center and is an excellent defender, but a fractured left hand has kept him from playing the past few weeks. He could be back more than a week from now. However, it remains to be seen if the New Orleans Pelicans can offer a package that will make the Cleveland Cavaliers want to give up the talented big man.
Even if Nance Jr. isn’t available, Griffin should find a forward who can complement either Ingram or Williamson and play alongside them in a small-ball lineup.
Also Read: Did the NBA All-Star Game set up a Stephen Curry and LeBron James partnership for the future?
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