New Orleans Pelicans Power Rankings: Gauging Full Roster After First 6 Weeks

Just a month and change into the 2014-15 season, the destiny of the New Orleans Pelicans is still in question.

As of Dec. 1, the Pelicans sit at 7-8 and 11th place in the Western Conference.

Anthony Davis has shined like the star that he is, but the play of his supporting cast has fluctuated.

Some nights, it’s hard to picture New Orleans missing the playoffs. Other times, it’s hard to see the team finishing north of .500.

The season is far from over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take the pulse of this team and predict where it’ll go from here.

On the following slides, each Pelican is ranked based on their overall contribution thus far and what they’ll bring to the table as the season unfolds.

Honorable Mention: Eric Gordon

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Stats: 9.5 points (39.8 percent), 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals

Notice the sling.

Eric Gordon tore the labrum in his left shoulder after starting all 12 games that he was healthy for with New Orleans.

While he wasn’t fully in a groove—also notice the 39.8 shooting percentage—Gordon’s athleticism and playmaking ability will be missed in New Orleans.

As relayed by David Wilson of The Advocate (Baton Rouge), “New Orleans has yet to score more than 91 points or shoot better than 42 percent” without Gordon.

A lifetime 36.8 percent shooter from three-point range, the 25-year-old was averaging 9.5 points and 2.0 assists, both career worsts, before getting hurt.

“We’ll see,” Gordon said of the prospect of surgery, per John Reid of NOLA.com. “It’s a full tear. I still have a labrum. But it’s tough for any athlete to deal with that. If I keep on playing, it’s going to be a lingering issue. This thing doesn’t heal all the way correctly, I’ve heard, unless surgery happens. I don’t know, it’s (surgery option) still hard to determine right now.”

Reid wrote that the decision to operate will be collaborative effort between the team’s medical staff, coach Monty Williams, general manger Dell Demps and Gordon himself.

The Pelicans are better off bringing Gordon back at 100 percent than risking a re-injury by rushing a return. He’s got a $15 million player option for next year, which he would be wise to take given his recent struggles.

Gordon’s absence will open the door for Austin Rivers, Jimmer Fredette, John Salmons and others. Whether any one of them will capitalize on it remains to be seen.

The Rest of the Flock

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Russ Smith

After a strong collegiate career at Louisville, the diminutive Russ Smith has yet to score an NBA bucket. He might have a future as a Nate Robinson-type of dynamo, but he hasn’t made much of an impact thus far.

Luke Babbitt

Remember when Luke Babbitt got a Sixth Man of the Year vote two years ago? Good times. Anyway, Babbitt is seeing just 12.2 minutes a night for the ‘Cans, and he’s not doing much during that time. Averaging just 2.2 points, Babbitt is, for now, strictly a garbage-time player.

Jeff Withey

Far removed from his anger-swatting days at Kansas, Jeff Withey is making a decent impact (3.4 points) in extremely limited playing time (seven minutes a game). Withey’s 7-foot frame might give him a future in the NBA. He's a big body and a strong defender, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Withey earn real minutes as this year unfolds.

Side Note:

According to NBA.com, the Pelicans waived Darius Miller and Patric Young on Nov. 30, trimming their roster down to 13.

9. Jimmer Fredette

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Stats: 2.2 points (28.6 percent), 1.1 assists

A college legend turned NBA misfit, Fredette has struggled to find his footing in New Orleans.

The 25-year-old guard was sensational in the preseason, but early in 2014-15, he’s been terrible.

Fredette’s calling card is shooting. He’s stuck around at the pro level this long thanks almost entirely to his ability to knock down an outside shot. And in his first year with the Pelicans, Fredette is shooting a horrifying 28.6 percent.

Sorry if that number burns your eyes.

When asked if Gordon’s absence will finally result in a chance at some minutes, here’s what Jimmer told Scott Kushner of The Advocate (Baton Rouge):

"

It could be. You never know what coach is thinking. But I continue to work hard and have good practices and try to gain the trust of him and my teammates. And hopefully, I’ll be able to help out the team in any way possible. Someone is going to have to step up for sure with Eric going out, because a lot of minutes are gone and people are going to have to step in for him.

"

Fredette might get a few extra minutes, but playing time isn’t the issue here—it’s Jimmer. He played 18 minutes on Nov. 28, the same night Rivers went 0 of 8, and didn’t get in the scoring column.

Williams hasn’t used the stocky shooter with any type of consistency, likely because when he does get Jimmer in, the team sputters.

Fredette is currently riding a one-year deal, and if he can’t make an impact with the Pelicans, he might be better off going overseas for a year or two, putting up crazy (BYU-esque) numbers and trying to make an NBA comeback.

8. John Salmons

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Stats: 2.8 points (43.5 percent)

In recent weeks, the Pelicans have been leaning more heavily on Salmons, a veteran swingman who's bounced around the league more than if he were in a pinball machine.

And, to the surprise of many, he hasn’t been all that bad.

The 34-year-old Salmons has regressed at an alarming rate as he nears the end of his 12-year stint in the NBA. But after being held scoreless in his first 10 games as a Pelican, the nomadic Salmons has scored 6.3 points per game in his last five.

Williams is unlikely to continue giving Salmons 18.5 minutes per game, which is what he averaging during the five-game span that included a 28-minute outing on Nov. 29. But until the dust settles in wake of Gordon’s injury, New Orleans might be forced to take what it can get from Salmons.

Salmons won’t have a huge role the rest of the year, but for right now, he’s in the mix thanks to his 45.5 percent three-point stroke.

7. Alexis Ajinca

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Stats: 4.4 points (64.3 percent), 3.3 rebounds

Alexis Ajinca is your typical role player.

The 7-footer has found a nice niche in New Orleans as Davis and Omer Asik’s backup. He’s not going to dazzle with his skill, but he’s a serviceable big man.

Ajinca realizes that he only gets five fouls and can’t take them home with him. He’s averaging 2.6 fouls in 11.8 minutes per game this season, which is actually a step down from his average of 3.3 fouls last season.

The 26-year-old will hit the free-agent market this summer, but the Pelicans would be wise to bring him back. He’s done his job well thus far and has given the team quality minutes for a cheap price.

Ajinca won’t play much of a role down the stretch of the year, but if Asik’s back flares up, expect the Frenchmen to see an uptick in playing time.

And consequently, an uptick in referees' whistles.

6. Austin Rivers

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Stats: 6.7 points (39.8 percent), 2.3 assists, 1.8 rebounds

If you’re a bit alarmed that Rivers is sixth on this list…good. You should be.

The loss of Gordon predictably leaves a lot more for Rivers at the shooting guard dinner table. The recently waived Miller got the first start in Gordon’s absence, but Rivers came off the bench for eight points in 27 minutes.

"From now on I'm leaving no food on the table; I'm trying to eat everything," Rivers said earlier in the year, per Jennifer Hale of Fox Sports Southwest. "I'm just going out there and making plays, and again our defense helped that.”

On Nov. 28, Rivers got his first start of the year, and instead of feasting on the opportunity, he absolutely starved.

The 22-year-old former Duke standout missed all eight of his shot attempts in 20 minutes of action during a painful Nov. 28 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. It wasn’t painful in the sense of a blowout, as the final score was 100-91, but it was a game that the Pelicans should’ve and could’ve won.

Rivers will have to mature quickly from this point on, as Gordon could very well be out for the rest of the year.

Fredette is also available at SG, but Williams has yet to show any signs of legitimate faith in the former BYU folk hero.

Rivers is an unrestricted free agent after this season, so in addition to suiting up for the 'Cans, he’s also playing for his basketball life.

5. Omer Asik

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Stats: 7.8 points (53.2 percent), 8.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 blocks

A healthy Asik is a crucial piece the Pelicans’ success.

The 7-footer has missed four games with a back injury, and even when he’s been in the lineup, he hasn’t been himself.

Davis is 6’10” and does a sound job of commanding the paint on both sides of the floor. But with Asik alongside him, the Pelicans are much more formidable.

Here’s what Kings coach Mike Malone told Nakia Hogan of NOLA.com in regard to Asik’s impact in New Orleans:

"

If Asik is in the game, he's going to help their paint defense and help their rebounding. Asik is a proven low-post defender. He is very strong, physical and smart, so he can guard guys one-on-one.

And as far as team defense, he is very smart. He traps the box. He uses the rule of verticality like Roy Hibbert does. He's a great position defender, so when you have he and Anthony Davis playing in their frontcourt together that's a very formidable defensive front line. He obviously gives them a lot when he is healthy.

"

Asik is taking just 5.6 shots a night despite grabbing 3.5 offensive boards. He’s shooting over 53 percent and averaging close to eight points, which is a decent contribution given the amount of scorers he’s playing with.

The Turkish big man isn’t playing 27.7 minutes a night because Williams wants him to score. Asik is out there for defensive purposes, and as long as he can stay healthy, he’ll continue to get substantial minutes.

4. Ryan Anderson

Stats: 15.3 points (41.4 percent), 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 three-point field goals

Since he entered the league back in 2008, Ryan Anderson has had one primary job—to make three-pointers.

One of the most lethal snipers in the NBA, the 26-year-old is the Pelicans’ third-leading scoring despite coming off the bench in all 15 contests.

Outside of Anderson, New Orleans lacks a true long-range threat. Some of the guards possess the ability to occasionally step beyond the arc and knock down a few shots, but Anderson makes his living from downtown.

Anderson has really found his groove as of late, having scored 20-plus points in three of his past six outings. On Nov. 11, Anderson torched the Cleveland Cavaliers for a season-high 32 points on 8-of-12 shooting from three-point land.

A week later, Anderson, who has been in New Orleans since 2012-13, became the franchise leader for off-the-bench points, breaking Jannero Pargo’s previous mark of 1,214.

The ‘Cans need their long-range assassin, who played just 22 games last season thanks to a neck injury, healthy as the season unwinds.

Anderson is not the star, but he’s an irreplaceable part of team. If Davis, Holiday and Evans are the main course, the sharpshooting veteran is the appetizer.

3. Tyreke Evans

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Stats: 14.9 points (39.2 percent), 6.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.4 steals

Watching Tyreke Evans results in a torrent of questions.

That was a tough shot, huh? Does this dude realize he has teammates? Wow, how the heck did that go in?

Shooting at a sub-40 percent clip is a big problem for a guy who puts up a lot of shots, but the level of difficulty on the majority of Evans’ attempts likely has something to do with it.

Evans is a shooting guard lining up at small forward, and in 2014-15, he’s been frustrating. The 25-year-old dominates the ball, sometimes to a fault, and therefore limits what point guard Jrue Holiday can do.

According to NBA.com’s Player Tracking feature, Evans is averaging 43.4 passes per game—11 less than Holiday’s 54.3—despite playing more nightly minutes than his backcourt mate.

Williams recently made comments about how the team needs to get Davis at least 20 shots a night (the full quote is on the Davis slide). It's difficult to imagine the coach wasn't referring, at least partially, to Evans' play.

At the end of the Pelicans-Sacramento Kings game that took place on Nov. 18, Evans threw up a wild two-point attempt as his team clung to 100-97 lead with less than 50 seconds left.

The shot found the bottom of the net, and the ‘Cans lived with it for that reason, but when the game is on the line, Davis, the best player, needs to have the ball in his hands.

Evans is a big part of what the Pelicans are trying to do. At 6’6”, 220-pounds, he’s a bulldozer of a ball-handler and can create shots for himself by overpowering opponents or gashing them with his lethal crossover.

But at some point very soon, Evans is going to have to succumb to the fact that Davis is the go-to guy.

2. Jrue Holiday

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Stats: 15.5 points (44.3 percent), 6.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals

Holiday needs to be the Robin to Davis’ Batman. More often than not this year, however, he’s been closer to Alfred.

The former All-Star has been hit-or-miss in the early stages of returning from a stress fracture in his right tibia that sidelined him for the majority of last season.

Just once has Holiday reached double-digit assists numbers this year, and his scoring has been erratic—he’s had seven games with 15 points or less and eight with 16-plus, including two 24-point outings.

Back on Nov. 9, I wrote about how Holiday needs to get back to an All-Star level for New Orleans to contend. Whether he gets the actual All-Star nod is irrelevant—the West is loaded with quality guards from top to bottom, so it'll be a long shot.

But Holiday does need to pick it up a bit to at least throw his name in the hat.

Granted, he’s still shaking off some rust and getting his legs completely back under him. Hopefully for New Orleans, Holiday will start clicking with more consistency on the offensive end.

The team has no worries in regard to Holiday’s defense, though.

“I think he's underrated," Denver Nuggets coach Brian Shaw told CBS Sports’ Matt Moore. “You know he was an All-star in Philly, then he was hurt last year and people forgot about him. I think Russell Westbrook, when he wants to defend, and Jrue Holiday are the two best defensive point guards on the ball just in terms of sliding their feet and their activity with their hands.”

Going forward, Holiday must continue to play elite D while also giving Davis more help on the other end.

1. Anthony Davis

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Stats: 24.9 points (55.7 percent), 11.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 2.1 steals

Don’t act surprised.

Far and away the best player on his team, Davis has also arguably been the best player in the entire NBA.

The lanky 21-year-old has put up a double-double in 10 of his team’s first 15 contests. He’s swatting three shots a night and shooting an astonishing 55.7 percent on 17.5 shots a night.

As great as Davis has been, Williams wants more from him, per Reid:

"

Anthony (Davis) cannot be in a game and not touch the ball. We have to have an effort to get him at least 20 shots every night. And that’s on me too. As much as I draw up plays for him, run the offense through him, the guys on the floor has to know it. When they don’t do it, I’ve got to make sure they get him the ball. Because he’s not a selfish player, he’s going to make the right plays. And our guys know that.

"

The unguardable Davis will continue to dominate the rest of the way. His blocks may level off a tad, but his rebounds and steals will likely stay constant throughout the season. And if he gets as many shots as his coach wants, Davis’ scoring numbers could climb even higher.

All stats are accurate as of Dec. 1 courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com. Contract information was sourced from HoopsHype.