The New Orleans Pelicans continued to bolster their frontcourt, sending a transparent message to Zion Williamson in a transfer that was moderately predictable.
On Monday, the New Orleans Pelicans and Kevon Looney agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract. The Pelicans might be solely the second NBA workforce that Looney has ever suited up for, as he spent the primary ten seasons of his profession with the Golden State Warriors.
Looney averaged 4.5 factors and 6.1 rebounds for Golden State final season. Whereas he’s removed from the floor-spacing large that the Pelicans want to maximise Zion Williamson, their strikes to this point this offseason counsel that they aren’t all-in on Zion.
Between drafting Derik Queen and signing Looney, the Pelicans have made it clear that they’re keen to attenuate Williamson’s position, and are constructing the very same means a previous Joe Dumars workforce did.
Rookie Derik Queen, like Looney and Yves Missi, will not be a dependable shooter, and two of these three gamers will wrestle to share the ground with Zion at any given time.
Nonetheless, given Williamson’s historical past with accidents and off-court points, Dumars is sensible to count on him to overlook vital time subsequent season.
It seems as if New Orleans will enter the season with a rotation of Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole, Trey Murphy II, Herbert Jones, and Missi, with Looney, Queen, Jeremiah Fears, Jose Alvarado, and Jordan Hawkins coming off the bench.
If Williamson performs, all the explanation to have fun, though Dumars is savvy sufficient to know that he can’t rely on that. By signing Looney, the frontcourt might be crowded for Queen and Missi to develop, though Dumars didn’t draft Missi and may not be connected to the All-Rookie middle.
Is Williamson on the commerce block? Maybe, though he’s broken items at this level in his profession, and the Pelicans have to arrange for a actuality the place they don’t get so much for him.
Whereas the Pelicans weren’t linked to Looney instantly, Joe Dumars has a penchant for hoarding facilities.
Throughout his tenure as basic supervisor of the Detroit Pistons from 2000-2014, he utilized six large males through the storied 2004 season, ending the yr with 5 on the roster. Along with that, he drafted beginning caliber facilities Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond simply two years aside.
Whereas his tenure main the Sacramento Kings didn’t see him amass as a lot peak as he did whereas heading the Pistons, one has to do not forget that Dumars, regardless of being a taking pictures guard, performed in an period dominated by large males.
Dumars can also be properly conscious of the influence tradition can have on a workforce, and the Pelicans have been rudderless for many of their existence. By including an completed champion, possibly his rebuild can get off to begin.
