New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Poll: Pelicans’ Playoff Chances

December 30th, 2018 at 9:26pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Coming off of a strong 48-win season and Western Conference Semifinals appearance, the Pelicans were widely expected to build on that success with a roster that, while flawed, played to the team’s strengths and style of play. Adding Elfrid Payton and Julius Randle around the core of Jrue Holiday, Nikola Mirotic and Anthony Davis appeared to be solid moves on the surface, but injuries and poor play in close games have plagued the Pelicans so far.

The Pelicans currently sit at 16-21, good for 14th in the Western Conference. Payton has only played in six games so far, while Mirotic has missed significant time with an ankle injury, appearing in just 25 games. While Holiday, Davis and Randle have stayed healthy, the team’s lack of point guard and wing options have hampered their play.

What’s more troubling is that the Pelicans are 6-14 in clutch games, with an 87.2 offensive rating and 110.1 defensive rating in such situations. Their -22.9 net rating in the clutch is 29th in the league, behind only the Cavaliers. This is in stark contrast to last season, when the Pelicans went 30-20 in clutch games while posting a +8.2 net rating.

While many consider Davis to be an MVP candidate, he can only do so much with this current roster, despite having Holiday and Randle alongside him. The Pelicans have been one of the best offensive teams in the league (they currently own the league’s fourth ranked offense), but have been plagued by their 26th-ranked defense.

With that being said, the Pelicans are still just four games out of the playoff picture at the moment, with the surprising Kings holding down the eighth seed. There is certainly time for the Pelicans to turn things around just enough to squeeze into the playoffs, especially if they can stay healthy and/or make a trade to bolster the team’s depth in the backcourt or on the wing.

How do you feel about the Pelicans’ playoff chances? Vote in the poll below and share your thoughts in the comments section!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

NBA Issues Memo Reminding Teams Of Tampering Rules

December 28th, 2018 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has issued a memo to all 30 of its teams, reminding them about the rules – and warning them of the consequences – related to tampering, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The league’s statement to clubs indicates that “employment contracts are to be respected and conduct that interferes with contractual employment relationships is prohibited.”

The memo is presumably a response to last week’s mini-controversy, which arose after Lakers star LeBron James said it would be “amazing” to play with Pelicans big man Anthony Davis. As Wojnarowski detailed last Friday, the NBA’s lack of response to those comments upset several general managers around the league, especially those in smaller markets. Among those GMs, there’s a perception that the NBA turns a blind eye to tampering violations when big-market teams go after smaller-market stars.

An NBA spokesperson issued a statement to Woj last week to explain why the league didn’t view James’ comments as tampering. Still, it seems the league office found it necessary to further clarify its tampering-related rules as speculation about a possible Davis trade continues.

“Teams should be aware that the scope of the anti-tampering rule is broad, and its application in any given case is based on all facts and circumstances,” the NBA’s memo reads, per Wojnarowski. “Accordingly, conduct that doesn’t violate the rule in any single instance may nevertheless constitute a violation if it becomes repeated or part of a broader collection of improper actions. Teams should therefore refrain from any conduct – including public statements – that could be viewed as targeting or expressing interest in another team’s player.”

The league also warned that respecting other teams’ contracts with players is particularly important in “today’s media environment,” since public comments speculating about potential player movement receive “immediate and widespread” attention and coverage.

“Teams should be entitled to focus their efforts on the competition this season with the players they have under contract, without having to divert attention or resources to conduct or speculation regarding the potential destinations of those players in future seasons once their contracts expire,” the NBA said in its memo.

Pelicans Hopeful Elfrid Payton Can Return Soon

December 27th, 2018 at 9:51pm CST by JD Shaw

Pelicans guard Elfrid Payton participated in parts of practice Thursday with a splint on his finger, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). Guillory also reports the Pelicans are hopeful Payton can return in the next week, with the 24-year-old rehabbing from a broken finger suffered in November.

Vlade Divac Talks Playoffs, Cousins Trade, Future

December 27th, 2018 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

At 18-16, the Kings are a half-game out of the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, having remained in the playoff picture throughout the first half. Asked by Sam Amick of The Athletic whether Sacramento is a playoff team, general manager Vlade Divac said the club wants to be in the postseason and will push to make it. However, the Kings aren’t “desperate” to make the playoffs, according to Divac, who suggested that the club wouldn’t sacrifice key assets to shift to win-now mode.

“If I have to do something to help them, yeah I will do it,” Divac said. “But not just from desperation and to sacrifice everything that we’ve built.”

In his conversation with Amick, Divac touched on several other topics related to the Kings’ rebuilding process, which may be ahead of schedule at this point. The Sacramento general manager revisited the trade that sent DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans and launched the rebuild, as well as the deal that sent the Kings’ 2019 first-round pick to Philadelphia (that pick will likely end up with Boston as a result of a separate deal).

Here are a few of the noteworthy comments from Divac:

On the decision to trade Cousins to the Pelicans for a package that featured Buddy Hield, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick:

“Look, I don’t want to go back and talk (about the trade), but I knew that second what I’m getting, bigger picture. Not just Buddy, not just the (first-round) pick, not just (the second-rounder)… But I knew also that I’m going to get down and be in the lottery, so we picked (that) course. That’s why it’s the whole picture, but people are thinking just on the surface, and I didn’t want to go back and explain and try to defend myself. I just believe in what I have to do.”

On whether he has been bothered by criticism during his tenure as Kings general manager:

“I know how to deal with that type of stuff. I just ignore (it), because those people, I know they want the best for the Kings, but they don’t know the details. They don’t know behind the curtain, they don’t know a lot of different stuff. For me, it was like, ‘OK, just give me time,’ and time came.

“I didn’t have experience as a GM, so I (supposedly) didn’t know the salary cap and somehow we end up with $50-60MM (in cap room) this summer. I was lucky, I guess. (Laughs).”

On whether the Kings are shopping for a first-round pick in the 2019 draft after having traded theirs away:

“No. Even that day when I made the deal with Philly for this (season’s) pick that’s coming, my thought process (was), ‘OK, if I’m not winning in three years, we shouldn’t deserve to have that pick,’ and I did everything to accomplish and bring players that can help DeMarcus. So I had to do crazy stuff. But I knew, if that doesn’t work I’m going to shift to Plan B, and Plan B worked. So now, I don’t need those picks. I have so many young guys that we have to develop.

“Of course, I would love to have (more picks). … I have room to do that (by taking on another team’s ‘bad’ contracts in exchange for the pick). So if I can convert (that into a pick), yes. But it’s not something (where) I’m desperate to do it. If it comes, great. If it doesn’t, I’m fine. I have other things to do.”

Pelicans Notes: Davis, Barnes, Mirotic

December 27th, 2018 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

With trade speculation swirling around Anthony Davis, ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes that Davis’ situation is the NBA’s biggest ongoing story, contending that the media didn’t create that story — the calendar did. With the Pelicans now in 14th place in the Western Conference at 15-20 and Davis’ super-max eligibility just over six months away, it’s only logical that NBA insiders – including media, agents, and executives – will start taking a closer look at Davis’ future, says Lowe.

Davis hasn’t expressed interest in a trade. He also hasn’t told people close to him that he wants to join the Lakers or any other specific team if he decides to leave New Orleans, sources tell Lowe.

Still, Lowe – who hears that teams expect Davis to sign a series of shorter-term contracts – is predicting that the All-NBA big man will eventually turn down the Pelicans’ super-max offer when the team puts it on the table in the offseason. If that happens, Davis would effectively become a free agent, according to Lowe, since he’d be on an expiring contract and will have passed on the Pelicans’ best possible extension offer.

Here’s more from Lowe on Davis and the Pelicans:

Explaining why the Lakers and Celtics are most frequently cited as the logical trade partners for the Pelicans if they eventually decide to move Davis, Lowe runs through several other options – including the Heat, Spurs, Bulls, Knicks, and Sixers – and has trouble finding another team with the necessary assets to make it work.
As Lowe details, the Heat, Spurs, Bulls, and Knicks would have to give up virtually all the players Davis would want as teammates, and Klutch’s representation of Ben Simmons would complicate a Philadelphia scenario. The Warriors would have interest, according to Lowe, but they wouldn’t trade Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry, and it would be tricky to make a deal work with Klay Thompson (a 2019 free agent) or Draymond Green as a centerpiece.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer covers similar ground in an article of his own, taking a deep dive into the Davis situation and exploring possible outcomes and trade scenarios. One interesting note from O’Connor, who examines whether the Pelicans can improve their roster around Davis: The Pelicans have never gone into the luxury tax, and front office executives don’t expect them to anytime soon.
On the non-Davis front, Lowe revisits some previous Pelicans roster moves, citing sources who say that the team considered spending all its cap room in 2016 on Harrison Barnes. Instead, New Orleans ended up with E’Twaun Moore and Solomon Hill — the investment in Moore has worked out, but Hill’s contract has become an albatross.
Although the Pelicans’ 2017/18 in-season acquisition of Nikola Mirotic essentially served as a response to DeMarcus Cousins‘ season-ending Achilles injury, they were actually in trade talks for Mirotic even before that injury, per Lowe. Davis, Cousins, and Mirotic couldn’t have all been on the court together, so it’s not clear how New Orleans’ plan would have worked if Cousins hadn’t gotten hurt — it was “the sort of jumble that materializes when a team flings itself from plan to plan,” writes Lowe.

Kevin Garnett: AD to LA Has To Happen

December 25th, 2018 at 5:50pm CST by Austin Kent

There’s no imminent news that would ruin Christmas dinner for Pelicans fans per se, but Kevin Garnett believes that Anthony Davis to the Lakers “has to happen.”

Martin Rogers of USA Today spoke with the former All-Star about the rumors that LeBron James is courting the Pelicans’ superstar center. Garnett, of course, strung together a Hall of Fame-worthy career as a lone wolf in Minnesota before a 2007 trade put him in a position to win a title with the Celtics.

“Anthony Davis playing in New Orleans, I don’t want to say they are wasted days, but they are non-days,” Garnett said. “He needs to be somewhere where he can be with another guy and they can have a run at a championship. He has been [with the Pelicans] long enough. It is time for a change now. This is it. No better time to do this.”

The struggling Pelicans blew a 19-point first-half lead and lost to the upstart Kings this week. Point guard Jrue Holiday thinks that the squad and the coaching staff need to get on the same page. “It’s kind of the same story for us,” Holiday told Michael Wagaman of The Associated Press. “Between the coaches and the players, we have to get on the same page when it comes down to the last four minutes.“

Rajon Rondo Wanted To Stay In New Orleans

December 25th, 2018 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Rajon Rondo has changed teams in each of the past four offseasons, but he tells Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated he would have remained with the Pelicans if the team had made an offer. Rondo played a key role in helping New Orleans win 48 games last year and reach the second round of the playoffs. In addition to posting an 8.3/4.0/8.2 line, he became a locker room leader on a young team without much postseason experience.

“The Pelicans could have got a deal if they wanted me, but obviously they went in a different direction,” Rondo said. “They had money. But they didn’t want to sign ‘Cuz’ [DeMarcus Cousins] and they didn’t want to sign me.”

Rondo, who wound up with the Lakers, adds that he spoke with Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry frequently over the summer and misses playing for him. New Orleans brought in Elfrid Payton instead of keeping Rondo and signed Julius Randle instead of Cousins, but is off to a 15-19 start and is 14th in the West.

Rondo addresses a host of other subjects in a lengthy interview with Spears:

On his decision to sign with the Lakers and play alongside LeBron James:

“The last couple of years, the Lakers have been calling. I had a meeting with them two years ago with the role to come here and back up Lonzo [Ball] for a little bit less money. The following year it was the same thing. And with LeBron joining the team, it was a no-brainer. He didn’t call at all. But he didn’t have to call. He wanted me, obviously. The Lakers are not going to go get a point guard he doesn’t want. He had interviews in the playoffs where he talked about having a veteran guy he can trust with the ball. I feel like I am a great option for that situation.”

On LeBron’s commitment to the game:

“What he does for these young guys is unbelievable. He leads by example every night. Well, not even every night — every day when he comes into the gym. He’s a workaholic. He’s very committed to his body. You read all the articles, but when you see it every day, it’s different. He really is dedicated to what he does. It’s the reason why he’s healthy. He puts in the work, and he deserves it. Look what he’s doing.”

On his reputation as a fiery competitor:

“The perception of me on the court is probably, ‘He doesn’t do this, he doesn’t do that.’ But for the most part, I don’t have one teammate that complains about me. I’m a great teammate. I’m a great mentor. I’ve always been one of the biggest competitors that anybody can name. I love what I do. Regardless of what people think of me, I know my teammates think highly of me, and I like making the game fun for those guys, and I really love giving back because that’s what was given to me.”

On nearly getting dealt to the Timberwolves in the trade that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston:

“If I didn’t get connected with Kevin, I don’t know where I would be in the league. I was in the deal to Minnesota in 2007. There were seven players. I saw my name on the ticker on the screen and said, ‘S—, it’s over.’ And that particular time I was ready to get out of Boston anyway because it was a miserable season. We lost 18 straight. I was playing behind two guys as the third-string point guard. I was ready to move on to a new chapter. I come to find out, he told the Celtics that he wanted me there. I’m sure [Celtics president] Danny Ainge loved me, but I think KG had a lot to do with me staying as a Celtic.”

On his plans when his playing days are over:

“It’s not definite that I want to be a coach one day. I want to be a GM. I want to be a president. I want to help people. I want to put people in a position to be successful and show them the ropes.”

Pelicans Have To Figure Out How To Win Close Games

December 23rd, 2018 at 7:07pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Despite all of the attention on Anthony Davis and the speculation about his long-term future, Scott Kushner writes for The Journal Times that the Pelicans have more pressing issues to solve, most notably their inability to close out games.

As Kushner points out, the Pelicans are the worst clutch team in the NBA, as they are 5-11 in games that are within five points in the final five minutes. In fact, during those situations the Pelicans are outscored by 28.6 points per 100 possessions, the worst net rating.

This is a stark contrast to last season, when the Pelicans led the league in clutch wins with 30. Before they have to deal with Davis’ future, the Pelicans have to figure out how to win this season, which will often come down to their ability to close out games in crunch time.

League Executives Expect Summer Trade For Anthony Davis

December 23rd, 2018 at 10:22am CST by Arthur Hill

Talking to NBA executives at this year’s G League Showcase, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report finds that most expect Anthony Davis will be with the Lakers or Celtics next season.

Although Pelicans officials have repeatedly stated they have no intention to trade Davis, his contract situation may leave them with no choice. He is eligible for a supermax extension this summer that could be worth up to $239.5MM, but is only one season away from his player option if he doesn’t accept that offer.

Davis changed his representation over the summer, signing with LeBron James‘ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, in a move that some believe was made to get him out of New Orleans.

“I’m not worried about James tampering to the media about AD,” a Western Conference GM told Pincus. “It’s that James and Paul are mafioso mob bosses of the NBA that’s the problem.”

Several small-market GMs raised concerns about tampering this week after James said Davis would be “amazing” to have as a teammate. Commissioner Adam Silver refused to take any disciplinary action against James, and the Lakers’ star raised more speculation by having dinner with Davis after their teams played on Friday.

The executives that Pincus spoke to don’t believe Davis will be moved before the February 7 trade deadline, but they do expect something to happen by draft day. The feeling is that Davis will decline the Pelicans’ extension offer and force them to move him for a package that’s stocked with young talent and draft picks.

“It’s going to be up to [Pelicans general manager] Dell [Demps] to decide where Davis plays next,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “Paul will get him traded, but it’s going to be up to Demps to get the best deal.”

That could work to the advantage of the Celtics, who, depending on protections, may own the Clippers’, Grizzlies’ and Kings’ picks next summer as well as their own. Boston can’t trade for Davis until Kyrie Irving opts out of his current contract, so the Celtics would need to reach an agreement with New Orleans before the draft that wouldn’t take effect until the moratorium is lifted in early July.

Pincus speculates Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown will be the cornerstones of Boston’s offer, although Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris and Al Horford are all potential pieces. He sees Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball as the key players in a Lakers deal, along with a few others to match salaries.

A 15% trade kicker in Davis’ contract could give the Lakers the advantage in their pursuit, Pincus adds. The Pelicans would have to pay Davis an additional $5.4MM if he gets traded during the season or $4.1MM if the deal happens over the summer. If Paul wants to get Davis to the Lakers, he could agree to waive the trade kicker only if Davis is sent to L.A.

Pincus also notes that because the Lakers will be under the cap this summer, they will have the freedom to restructure Davis’ contract, giving him $32.7MM for next season and extending the deal through 2021/22 at a total of $70.3MM for the following two years. When Davis hits free agency in 2022 as a 10-year veteran, he would be eligible for a starting salary at about $46MM, giving him a total deal only about $16MM less than his supermax offer.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis Meet For Post-Game Dinner

December 22nd, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James shrugged off accusations of tampering involving Pelicans star Anthony Davis last night, then emphasized the point by meeting Davis for a post-game meal, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

James led the Lakers to a win in his first meeting with Davis since saying earlier this week that he would be “amazing” to have as a teammate. Some small-market GMs objected to James’ comments and a league-wide trend of players in big cities openly recruiting other stars, but James dismissed their concerns after Friday’s game.

“They can’t control me at all,” he told reporters. “And I play by the rules.”

Rumors that Davis might eventually join the Lakers began to grow this summer as LeBron signed in L.A. and Davis abandoned his former agency in favor of Klutch Sports, which also represents James.

Davis is eligible for a potential record-setting contract next summer through the Designated Player Veteran Extension that could be worth up to as much as $239.54MM over five seasons. The Pelicans will surely make the offer, but there’s no guarantee Davis will accept. He has a player option in 2020, so New Orleans could be in the position of having to make a trade to avoid the risk of losing him with no return.

Davis hasn’t given an indication of which way he’s leaning on the DPVE, but said the ability to compete for a title will have a greater impact on his decision than cash.

“I’d take legacy over money,” Davis said after Friday’s game. “I want to have a legacy. All my people that look up to me, the younger kids, I want them to know about AD’s legacy. Championships, the things I do in the community, being a good teammate, playing hard. All that stuff matters the most to me. Don’t get me wrong, money is amazing. But I think in that sense, money or legacy, I think my legacy will win that battle every time.”

Davis has only reached the playoffs twice since the Pelicans drafted him in 2012. They were swept in the first round in 2015 and knocked out in the second round last season. With a 15-18 record this year, there’s no guarantee of another postseason trip.

In public comments, Davis has remained very supportive of the Pelicans, frequently mentioning his ties to the New Orleans community. However, sources tell Haynes that he has received advice to eventually move on from players on other teams and even a few of his teammates.

Haynes describes Davis as “intrigued” at the thought of playing in Los Angeles, where he bought a $7.5MM house over the summer.

Lakers fans did their best to encourage Davis by giving him a standing ovation during pre-game introductions. He recently got a similar welcome from Boston, which appears to be L.A.’s main competition if the Pelicans ever decide to trade Davis.