New Orleans Pelicans
Maybe the Pelicans don’t entirely fit the description of a team that’s fading, but they’re certainly a team which has completely failed to live up to expectations.
After trading for power forward DeMarcus Cousins on February 19, the Pelicans are just 10-10. This is not good enough to even sniff the playoffs. They were supposed to be a shoo-in for the playoffs. Some even thought they could challenge Golden State or San Antonio in the first round. Cousins and center Anthony Davis were supposed to be the new twin towers.
Well, no.
Per NBA.com, the Pelicans have just a +2.9 net rating with Cousins and Davis on the floor together. With that combination, New Orleans has scored a mere 100.5 points per 100 possessions, a number equal to the Philadelphia 76ers, who rank dead last in the category. Since the trade when Davis has been on the court without Cousins, New Orleans scores 106.4 per 100 possessions, per NBA Wowy. That does not make the trade look good, even when you take into account the astoundingly low price the Pelicans paid for Cousins.
New Orleans has another year to make it work before Cousins becomes a free agent. But if it continues on its current trajectory, the outlook is grim.
General manager Dell Demps has been on the hot seat before, and one has to imagine he’ll be on it again. The same goes for head coach Alvin Gentry. Davis himself only has three years left on his contract after next season. How long until we start hearing trade rumors, or worse, trade demands? If the Pels don’t figure it out, it could be sooner than you think.