The New Orleans Pelicans entered this season with high expectations. Coming off a playoff appearance last year and following the hiring of former Golden State Warriors assistant Alvin Gentry, things seemed to be looking up for the franchise.
Add in the presence of all-everything youngster Anthony Davis, and the Pelicans were looking forward to improvement from last year.
Unfortunately, things have not worked out according to plan. New Orleans currently sits 14 games under .500 after starting the season with 11 losses in its first 12 games. It’s also 6.5 games out of the final playoff spot out west.
In this, the Pelicans head coach has now indicated that his team is out of the playoff race altogether:
An angry Alvin Gentry says the Pels are no longer in the playoff race. "No, we're not. We're not."
— Justin Verrier (@JustinVerrier) March 3, 2016
It might be a harsh reality for Pelicans fans, but it is the reality of the situation right now. New Orleans would have to post a near-perfect record for the remainder of the season to jump the four teams ahead of it in the playoff race. It would also need some help from those bottom rung playoff contenders.
Giving up on the playoffs with one quarter of the season remaining could have some positive long-term ramifications for the Pelicans.
If the team decides to tank for the final 22 games, it could earn a top pick in the 2016 NBA draft. Considering this specific draft is loaded with talent, that might be the Pelicans best opportunity to find a star player to team up with Davis.