Pelicans offseason recap: Buddy Buckets heads to the Big Easy
With the bulk of NBA free agency in the books, USA TODAY Sports explores how all of the offseason moves will alter each team as we look ahead to the 2016-17 season.
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Projected starting five: New Orleans Pelicans
(Statistics from 2015-16 season)
- Jrue Holiday - Points: 16.8, assists: 6.0, rebounds: 3.0, steals: 1.4, field goal percentage: 43.9%
- Tyreke Evans (25 games) - Points: 15.2, rebounds: 5.2, assists: 6.6, steals: 1.3, field goal percentage: 43.3%
- Solomon Hill (with Indiana) - Points: 4.2, rebounds: 2.8, assists: 1.0, steals: 0.6, field goal percentage: 44.7%
- Anthony Davis - Points: 24.3, rebounds: 10.3, assists: 1.9, blocks: 2.0, field goal percentage: 49.3%
- Omer Asik - Points: 4.0, rebounds: 6.1, assists: 0.4, blocks: 0.3, field goal percentage: 53.3%
Added - Hill, Tim Frazier (re-signed), Alonzo Gee (re-signed), E'Twaun Moore, Terrence Jones, Langston Galloway, Buddy Hield, Cheick Diallo
Lost - Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Toney Douglas, Jordan Hamilton, Luke Babbitt, James Ennis, Norris Cole (unsigned), Kendrick Perkins (unsigned)
Biggest acquisition - Hield
The 2016 consensus national player of the year — widely considered to be the best shooter of this year's draft — heads to The Big Easy with the necessary tools to make an immediate impact on the offensive end for a team that lost its two biggest perimeter threats in Anderson (36.6% from three, 2.0 makes per game) and Gordon (38.4%, 2.5 makes).
Biggest departure - Anderson
Setting his injury history and defensive struggles aside, Anderson — a 6-foot-10, veteran stretch four — is a proven marksman capable of shouldering the scoring load on any given night. Watching him walk out the door hurts, even if it was to the tune of four years, $80 million.
X factor - Health
From the top of the roster to the bottom, injuries have plagued the Pelicans in recent years. Davis (hand, ankle, knee, shoulder), Anderson (toe, neck, knee), Gordon (knee, hand, shoulder, ankle), Holiday (leg, eye), Evans (knee) and Quincy Pondexter (knee) have all missed significant time, giving New Orleans what seems to be a never-ending uphill climb.
Offseason grade - C+
Check out our other offseason recaps: Atlanta • Boston • Brooklyn • Charlotte • Chicago • Cleveland • Dallas • Denver • Detroit • Golden State • Houston• Indiana • L.A. Clippers • L.A. Lakers • Memphis • Miami • Milwaukee • Minnesota
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