2015-16 NBA Season Preview: New Orleans Pelicans

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New Orleans Pelicans

2014-15

Offseason Roundup

Projected Starting 5

• Re-signed Omer Asik (5/$60M)
• Re-signed Alexis Ajinca (4/$20M)
• Re-signed Dante Cunningham (3/$9M)
• Re-signed Norris Cole (1/$3M)
• Signed Anthony Davis to extensions (5/$145M)

MVP: Anthony Davis

The consensus around the league is Davis will soon develop into the best player in the NBA. The instincts, skill, size, and talent are all there for the 22-year-old.

But what if Davis is already the league's best player?

Consider this: Davis led the league in PER at 30.8 last season. To put that into historical context, only two players have ever posted a higher PER than Davis since 1979-80. Those two players: LeBron James (three times) and Michael Jordan (four times).

No one dominates both ends of the court quite like Davis.

On defense, Davis is an all-consuming menace who's quick enough to hedge and trap on the perimeter, and strong enough to stonewall players in the post. He led the league in blocks per game at 2.9, while ranking as the seventh-most impactful defender by ESPN's Defensive RPM. For his efforts, Davis was named to the All-Defensive Second Team.

On offense, Davis is nearly unstoppable. He's an incredibly efficient finisher around the basket, he's money from mid-range, and rarely commits turnovers. Davis averaged 24.4 points per game last season with a true shooting percentage of 59.1. The only player to top his scoring average with that rate of scoring efficiency was James Harden.

Observe "The Brow." The future is now.

Breakout Player: Tyreke Evans

Davis drew most of the acclaim for the Pelicans making the playoffs last season - and deservedly so - but don't overlook the importance of Tyreke Evans.

All looked lost when Jrue Holiday went down with a leg injury midway through the season. Holiday held the team-lead in assists and his backup Austin Rivers was wholly unqualified to lead the Pelicans. So, in lieu of any other alternatives, the Pelicans shifted Evans from small forward to point guard.

The Pelicans finished the year on a 27-18 run under Evans' watch, which was just good enough to squeak into the postseason. Evans topped double-digits in assists on 13 occasions, as his drive-and-kick style helped his team to an offensive rating of 107.5 with him on the floor.

Evans will be counted upon once again to shoulder the bulk of playmaking duties with Holiday tied to a tight minute restriction to start the season. And with an offensive savant in Alvin Gentry on the sidelines, expect Evans to pick up right where he left off.

Season Expectations

The Pelicans could top the 50-win mark for the first time since the Chris Paul-era if they simply manage to stay healthy.

Staying healthy, however, has been a constant struggle for players like Gordon, Holiday, Ryan Anderson, and Davis. The four missed a combined 98 games last season.

Health aside, the key to the Pelicans' success lays in their defense. With defensive stalwarts like Holiday, Davis, and Omer Asik in the lineup, there's no reason why New Orleans should have a below-average defense - let alone a 22nd-ranked outfit.

If Davis takes yet another step forward and the Pelicans shore up their defense while avoiding injuries, the Western Conference could - unthinkably - have yet another powerhouse on its hands.