The New Orleans Pelicans have been very busy over the last few seasons. Back in 2012, they used the number one pick on Kentucky Wildcats’ big man Anthony Davis and also pulled off a sign-and-trade with the Orlando Magic to acquire restricted free agent power forward Ryan Anderson. In 2013, they were busy once again, dealing draft picks (which wound up being big man Nerlens Noel and point guard Elfrid Payton, who was dealt to the Magic to acquire forward Dario Šarić), for Philadelphia 76ers’ point guard Jrue Holiday. They also signed Tyreke Evans away from the Sacramento Kings.
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Davis was fantastic for the Pelicans last season but their playoff hopes were crushed by losing both Anderson and Holiday to season-ending injuries.
This season, the Pelicans expect to get both players back and have added veteran center Omer Asik to the rotation.
Although he doesn’t believe the Pelicans will be in the postseason yet, Lang Greene thinks “momentum is building down in New Orleans.”
"Momentum is building down in New Orleans. There is a genuine belief that the team can make a run at their first Western Conference playoff berth since All-Stars Chris Paul and David West left town a few years back. The excitement is primarily driven by emerging forward Anthony Davis, who began putting the world on notice last season. Davis is the real deal. But for the Pelicans to truly reach the land of the playoffs, royally paid veterans Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon must stay healthy and produce at a high level. There’s talent on the roster in New Orleans capable of making noise, but their margin for error doesn’t allow much room for slippage."
If healthy, the Pelicans could challenge for the eighth seed but making the playoffs in the Western Conference is quite the challenge – the Phoenix Suns missed out with a record of 48-34 last season.
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