Warning: this gets really long. But I think it's a decent evaluation that might benefit some of you guys that didn't see the Pelicans play more than 5 or 6 times this year.
Let me give you a little background first, then I'll explain where I stand on all this. I lived in New Orleans for the past three years, and moved to Jackson, MS in January (hence my "local perspectives on Newman recently). During the past 3 seasons, I've been to approximately 50-60 Pelicans games, and was able to watch the others on TV since they're the local team. I've honestly grown to be a big Pelicans fan rather than simply an Anthony Davis fan, so my takes will probably be a little different from most on this board with the "cheer for him only because he's a former Cat" mindset.
With that being said, here's my take on Davis, and what I'd like to see the Pelicans do from here out.
1. First and foremost, Davis absolutely has to take this deal. Simply put, if he leaves New Orleans, the franchise is done for the foreseeable future and the city may never embrace basketball. From Davis's standpoint, he can get paid much more by New Orleans than in free agency due to how NBA contracts are structured, so that gives the current team a little leverage. It's why Miami could offer Bosh more than anybody, New York could offer Carmelo more than anybody, and why in the end I think it's why he's in New Orleans for the near future.
2. Replace Monty with a skilled Xs and Os coach. Firing Monty will be a tough sell to the team, because the players absolutely love him. However, I think it's been really obvious to anybody that's watched more than a handful of Pelicans games over recent years that he isn't what this team needs from a bench coach. He consistently mismanages in-game situations, substitutions, etc and I think it's time to move on. Bring in a proven, respected coach that can win over the team and actually get them to perform and firing Monty is forgiven in the locker room.
3. Eliminate some bad contracts, namely Eric Gordon. Gordon has no trade value, but we have to find a way to get that contract off the books so we can make some moves. Right now there's no cap flexibility. I'm also not a big Asik fan, and Ajinca is a capable replacement already on the roster, so I think letting him walk would be a smart move. Jrue, Tyreke, and Ryan Anderson all bring value to the team, they just need to stay healthy.
4. Stop trading draft picks. We haven't added any young talent to the team since we drafted Davis, and that needs to change. Quit trading draft picks, maybe even aquire one from somebody else.
5. Find a SG that can create his own shot and a defensive C that can rebound, play physical, and enable Anthony to play help side defense. Gordon and Asik were supposed to fill those roles last year, but didn't do a great job and were severely overpaid. Plus, Gordon is terrible defensively. A comparable C can be found for much cheaper, and that allows us to grab a dynamic guard that can score and defend. I honestly don't know who's on the market this year so I can't suggest alternatives, but I feel like it's time to move on from Gordon and Asik.
6. Improve defensively. Monty was supposed to be a defensive mastermind of a coach, but we constantly underachieved on the defensive end and ranked in the bottom half of the league. Part of that is because of personnel. Any team that has Gordon, Evans, and Anderson on the court at the same time isn't going to guard. But even Anthony struggled defensively at times this year. He blocks shots and makes flashy plays, but was sometimes slow in rotation and hesitant to challenge shots at the rim for fear of getting in foul trouble. We also gave up tons of offensive rebounds, as you saw in the playoffs. This all needs to change.
So there's my not-so-concise analysis of the New Orleans Pelicans as not just a former UK player fan, but as an actual real life Pelicans fan.