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NBA Rumors: New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Morrow to opt out

By Andrew Melnick

Mar 26, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Anthony Morrow (3) during the third quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Clippers 98-96. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Anthony Morrow (3) during the third quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Clippers 98-96. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Things did not go exactly as planned for the New Orleans Pelicans this season.

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The Pelicans made a big splash on draft night in 2013. They traded away the rights to the sixth-overall pick, former Kentucky Wildcats’ big man Nerlens Noel and their pick in next month’s draft (10th-overall) to acquire former All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday and promising young point guard Pierre Jackson.

The Pelicans hope that combining Holiday with veteran guard Eric Gordon, their big acquisition of 2012, power forward Ryan Anderson, their other big acquisition in 2013,  Tyreke Evans and future (or maybe current) superstar Anthony Davis, the number one overall pick of the 2012 draft would get them into the postseason.

Davis really did his part. He played in 67 games, averaging 20.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Gordon was relatively healthy and averaged 15.4 points per game while Evans put up 14.5 points per game.

Holiday was limited to just 34 games after undergoing leg surgery to address a stress fracture in his right tibia and Anderson played in 22 games because of a herniated cervical disc in his back. 

The Pelicans are obviously looking to further upgrade their team, but instead they may be losing a key piece of their bench.

A source tells Jorge Sierra of Hoops Hype that swingman Anthony Morrow is set to opt out of his deal that would pay him about $1.146 million next season.

"Pelicans swingman Anthony Morrow will opt out of his contract to become a free agent this summer, one source told HoopsHype.Morrow, who was due to make $1,145,685 in 2014-15, averaged 8.4 ppg and 1.8 rpg with New Orleans this season. A long-range specialist, he finished third in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage with 45.1% of makes."

Morrow averaged 8.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game.

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