NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The New Orleans Pelicans have not played themselves out of contention just yet. But they continue to ignore the elephant in the room. No, it’s not the diet habits of Zion Williamson. The Pelicans do not have a floor general they can lean on.
CJ McCollum is playing out of position even if he’s labeled as the starting PG for the Pels. As we’ve seen with his time playing alongside Damian Lillard while with the Portland Trail Blazers, he’s at his best coming off screens and not setting the tone on offense.
Instead of worrying about what Williamson is eating, they need to make a few phone calls and see who is available.
With his recent demotion to the 2nd unit, why about D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers? Another route they could go is to take a stab at Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Clippers. If both of those fail, there are still the Blazers who may want to rid themselves of Malcolm Brogdon. The Pelicans should not be looking for another 20+ per night scorer at the position. They already have 3 players who fit that bill. What they need is someone to direct the offense and keep their scorers happy.
Since arriving with the New Orleans Pelicans, McCollum has averaged 21.4 points and 4.8 assists. Not bad numbers at all but he’s worth more to the team with the ball out of his hands. This is similar to what the Phoenix Suns are going through with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. While Booker has shown his ability to pass the rock, the team will suffer until they find a true PG to run the show.
Will The New Orleans Pelicans Make Any Trades
McCollum at SG, Brandon Ingram at SF, and Williamson at PF is the lineup the New Orleans Pelicans need to be contenders. They are currently ranked 13th in scoring and 13th in points against. What’s also staggering regarding this offense is that McCollum, even at the PG position is not their leader in assists, that falls to Ingram.
Herbert Jones and Jonas Valanciunas provide the Pelicans with defense so moving one of them could fracture the lineups. Jose Alvarado is still running the second unit as he should but the Pelicans will need to put Jones on the bench and grab another starter to help right the ship.
Going down their starting unit, there are not many teams with the firepower at their disposal like the Pelicans. You can point the finger at the coach but the truth is, they need a floor general. That’s not a knock on the game and basketball IQ of CJ McCollum, but his new position is taking away from what made him so great while with Portland.
