There is no immediate solution to the Pelicans’ defensive issues, and a trade will be necessary if the team wants to make real improvements in that area. Or maybe two transactions. But changes are needed because this can’t go on much longer before fans completely lose their collective minds.
It’s hard to imagine a positive defensive future with the roster the New Orleans Pelicans are currently using. Herb Jones is an elite defender at his position, and that’s about the entire list of positives on the Pels defensive scouting report. I know it sounds hollow after how this team has played to start this season, but there is talent on this roster. However, that talent isn’t producing positive results right now, and I have little faith that this version of the Pelicans can do that. ever be competitive because of the defensive battle at every position.
Right now, this team ranks third in fastbreak points, sixth in opponent points in the paint, fourth in rebounding rate, and third-to-last in blocks. Those numbers don’t happen because of a few struggling defensive players. Rather, they are caused by a fundamental lack of defensive talent on the team. It’s a hard truth to accept, but a necessary one.
The Pelicans’ need for defensive talent is dire
The Pelicans currently rank 29th in defensive rankings, above only the Brooklyn Nets, who will be competing for the worst record in NBA history this year. The eye test also confirms the Pels’ woeful DRTG: they are beaten off the dribble, no one helps on defense, no one finishes very well.
Even worse? They haven’t had much bad luck. In fact, the Pels are No. 10 in opposing 3-point percentage so far, so if they’ve accomplished anything happy with how opponents shoot. Nightmare!
It’s not just bad rush defense, or bad transition defense, or bad rim protection, or bad communication, or bad help defense. It’s all of them, combined. No player can be blamed for this, because no player is responsible; everyone is! When everyone on a team is just a little worse defensively than they should be, it culminates in brutal overall team defense.
I don’t know what the trade would look like, and I don’t want to single out any player as the “weak link” on this team. The defense isn’t going to be “solved” with just one trade, and it’s going to take a pretty major overhaul to get this team close to competent in that area. But petting and hoping that every player improves enough to pull this team out of the gutter is the least realistic of all.
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