New Orleans Pelicans Power Rankings: Rating Each Player at January's Start

When we last took the pulse of the New Orleans Pelicans, they were dancing with the .500 mark, playing exceptionally well some nights and inexplicably poorly on others.

About a month later, not a whole lot has changed. But things are trending in the right direction.

The Pelicans currently stand at 17-16 after enduring an arduous month of December. January will provide ample chances to string some wins together, though. By the time February arrives, this could be a top-eight team in the Western Conference.

Anthony Davis, one of the best players in all of basketball, has headlined the guard-heavy ‘Cans since day one. That won’t change.

AD is doing all he can, but he can’t single-handedly carry the team to the postseason. It’ll be up to the rest of the Pels to give their superstar some help as the franchise chases its first playoff berth since 2010-11.

Each player on the follow slides is ranked based on what he has done up to this point, as well as what he will do the rest of the way.

End of the Bench

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John Salmons

Johnny Sal had a few good weeks for the Pelicans, but he’s a non-factor unless someone in the current rotation slips up or suffers an injury. His erratic (yet occasionally lethal) three-point shot is the only reason to think he might get any type of real minutes the rest of the way.

Jeff Withey

With a trio of serviceable bigs already in the mix, the raw second-year man has struggled to crack the rotation. Withey is big, lanky and angry—all elements of a good shot-blocker—so maybe we’ll see him down the road. For now, just re-watch old Kansas games if you want to see the 7-footer.

Russ Smith

Bouncing back and forth between the pros and the NBA Development League, Smith hasn’t proved to be much of a factor this season. He’s definitely got NBA potential, and he’s killing it in the D-League, but don’t expect a whole lot from the Louisville folk hero this season.

10. Alexis Ajinca

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Stats: 4.6 points (64.1 percent), 3.6 rebounds

Some players are rebounders. Others are scorers. Rare is the player whose primary impact results in a whistle, but that’s who Alexis Ajinca is—he’s as big of a “hack-o-potatmus” as there is in the league.

In 10.8 minutes a game, the 7’2” center is averaging 2.2 fouls, which translates to 7.3 penalties per 36 minutes.

"My rotation has been short because of my foul trouble," Ajinca said back in early November, per Nakia Hogan of NOLA.com. "So it's my fault. It's just something that I have to move on [from].”

The Frenchman is a big body…and that’s really it. But he doesn’t have to be much else when New Orleans already has twin towers in Davis and Omer Asik.

Ajinca could occasionally serve as a second- or third-unit spark, but if he keeps drawing the ire of officials with unnecessary contact and poor positioning, his playing time will remain low.

9. Luke Babbitt

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Stats: 4.1 points (43.8 percent), 1.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 51.4 three-point percentage

Despite his shortcomings, the long-hair-flowing, three-point-throwing rockstar that is Luke Babbitt has earned more than 15 minutes a night under head coach Monty Williams.

As of Jan. 5, the 25-year-old small forward leads the NBA in three-point percentage at a mark of 51.4 percent.

When Eric Gordon, who returned to practice on Sunday, went down with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Babbitt stepped into the starting lineup. While he’s rather limited on the offensive end, the five-year veteran has kept himself in the rotation thanks to his ability to consistently stroke the long ball.

“He adds value to the starting lineup because of his ability to space the floor,” Williams said of Babbitt, per Jim Eicherhofer of NBA.com. “He competes every night. He’s been a bright spot for us.”

Each of Babbitt’s 39 field goals has been assisted by a teammate according to NBA.com's Tracking Function, and he gives props to the guards for making it happen.

Here’s more, per Eicherhofer:

"

I’m playing off of other guys. Jrue (Holiday), Tyreke (Evans) and AD, they’re making things easier for me. I try to do the same for them, and give them space. Hopefully I can draw my (defender) out and give them a little more room to operate…Jrue and Tyreke, I think 90 percent of my shots are coming off those guys drawing and kicking. Those are the guys who are creating it for us.

"

Babbitt isn’t knocking down shots in boatloads; he’s just hitting them efficiently. Of the 91 qualified leaders in three-point percentage, Babbitt has taken the fewest shots by far.

As long as he stays hot from beyond the arc, he’ll see playing time. If his jumper goes cold, which wouldn’t be shocking given his 38.4 career field-goal percentage, then Babbitt’s minutes will probably be zapped.

8. Jimmer Fredette

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Stats: 3.0 points (35.3 percent), 1.0 assists

Jimmer Nation, stand up!

After seeing garbage minutes for the majority of the year, Jimmer Fredette has finally broken out. In his past three games, the 25-year-old guard has gotten an average of 21.9 minutes and made good use of the opportunity.

One day after scoring nine points on seven shots against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 30, the 6’2” shooter erupted for 14 points against the San Antonio Spurs on New Year’s Eve and then stayed hot with a 10-point performance against the Houston Rockets on Jan. 2.

“It takes guys awhile to adjust to what we do defensively. Jimmer turned that corner and it's clicking now,” Williams said of Fredette’s recent surge, per Jennifer Hale of Fox Sports Southwest. “He's had what, four coaches in two years? That's a lot to get straight.”

Fredette has never been a good defender and probably never will be. But he’s managed to stay respectable. More importantly, though, he seems to have earned the trust and respect of his coach.

“All those nights he didn't get in the game at all—he was always the first person in the gym the next morning," Williams said, via Hale. “He got there right after me, and I get there early. I love seeing that type of dedication to improvement.”

Jimmer’s playing time could take a slight dip with Gordon back, but he’s proved to be effective when given a real chance.

After a quiet first third of the year, Fredette’s workload should remain around 15-20 nightly minutes the rest of the way.

7. Dante Cunningham

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Stats: 5.5 points (53.9 percent), 3.0 rebounds

The Pels could get away with a relatively thin rotation when Gordon was healthy due to the versatility he gave them at guard. But after the injury, New Orleans desperately needed depth.

Dante Cunningham donned his wings when he signed on Dec. 4, and he’s made an immediate impact in his short time with the ‘Cans.

A big-energy guy, the lanky Cunningham has given Williams a spark off the bench, one who defends with valor and shoots with accuracy. Seventeen games into his Pelicans career, the six-year vet is hitting 53.9 percent of his field-goal attempts.

New Orleans’ bench has been one the NBA’s weakest, but the addition of Cunningham has certainly helped.

“We’re just trying to do what we can to help the starting unit out,” Cunningham said of his fellow bench-mates, per CBS Sports Radio. “When we get in, we’re just trying to keep the energy, maintain the energy, and make it a lot easier for the starters.”

Cunningham’s role should continue to grow as he becomes more and more acclimated with the team. He won’t catch your eye on the stat sheet, but his impact is noticeable on the court.

6. Austin Rivers

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Stats: 7.2 points (38.8 percent), 2.6 assists, 2.0 rebounds

As New Orleans inches toward potential Western Conference contention, third-year shooting guard Austin Rivers is crawling closer and closer to earning the notorious title of “bust.”

Taken with the No. 10 pick in 2012, Rivers, who will hit free agency this summer, has failed to meet the expectations that come along with getting drafted early.

This season, the 22-year-old is averaging 7.2 points on a shield-your-eyes shooting percentage of 38.8 percent.

Here’s an excerpt from my Dec. 15 piece on Rivers’ expiring chance at landing a long-term deal in New Orleans:

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With 10 minutes, 14 seconds to go in the second quarter against the Mavs, Rivers beat the defensively stout Jae Crowder off the dribble, drew a foul and stepped to the line. The first shot was money—nothing but nylon.

The referee tossed him the ball for shot No. 2, and Rivers didn’t even make it to the net—it was an embarrassing air ball.

Mark Jackson, who was calling the nationally televised game with Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Tirico, poked fun at the way Rivers blew on his hands after the miss as if the temperature had anything to do with the shot.

And there it was again—another reality check. Just when you start to think Rivers could reach his ceiling, he air-balls a foul shot.

"

That’s the thing about Rivers—he’ll break your heart if you let him. Every now and again, he’ll erupt for an efficient scoring outburst only to recede back to his usual ways the next game.

Still a ways away from turning 23, it’s hard to say that Rivers’ NBA future is dead. Instead, it’s more accurate to think of it as a balloon with a microscopic hole, slowly and steadily losing air despite an occasional breath of life.

5. Omer Asik

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Stats: 7.2 points (50.6 percent), 10.1 rebounds

Omer Asik doesn’t attract a whole lot of eyes with his nightly performances, but he’s a rebound magnet.

Sixteen times has the Turkish 7-footer snagged double-digit boards this season, though his 7.2 points are a bit underwhelming for a guy who plays 25.8 minutes.

Asik takes a backseat to Davis in the paint, but his impact on the glass and at the rim has been important to the Pelicans. According to NBA Tracking, Asik is holding opponents to 3.3 percent less than their norm when shooting within six feet of the rim.

An uptick in scoring from the big fella would certainly help, but for now the Pelicans should be relatively content with what they’ve gotten from Asik.

He'll rarely fill it up on offense, but he should continue to hit the boards and play solid D as the season unfolds.

4. Tyreke Evans

Stats: 16.8 points (42.6 percent), 5.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Pelicans need Tyreke Evans. Just six times has the 25-year-old swingman scored 10 or fewer points this season—New Orleans is 1-5 in those games.

Sometimes Evans takes crazy shots or fails to feed Davis enough. OK, a lot of times. But he’s a dynamic player with the ability to take over a game on the offensive end and get the team buzzing on the break.

Mason Ginsberg of Bourbon Street Shots (ESPN TrueHoop) delved into the perplexing question of why the drive-happy Evans isn’t getting to the line with greater frequency. Here’s what he wrote on Dec. 26:

"

In each of his last two seasons, Tyreke Evans averaged about .35 free throw attempts for every field goal attempt. Yet, somehow, Evans’ free throw rate this season is only .23, easily a career low for him. Put another way: if Evans’ free throw rate was the same this year as it was last season, he would have attempted 48 more free throws so far, and at his career free throw percentage of 76%, those free throws would have resulted in an additional 36.5 points so far this season. …

First, Tyreke Evans needs to better utilize his strength and embrace contact more frequently than he has to date. He doesn’t have to be a James Harden clone and actively seek out this contact, but when faced with the choice of either attempting a very difficult shot (such as a reverse layup in traffic) or driving right into a defender who is out of position to draw a foul, taking the latter strategy will lead to a better chance of scoring.

"

Evans and PG Jrue Holiday—both strong, lightning-quick guards—have thrived together in the backcourt. That pairing has been New Orleans’ second-most effective two-man lineup to date, via Basketball-Reference.com.

Signed until 2016-17, Evans is an integral part of the Pelicans' core and future.

3. Ryan Anderson

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Stats: 15.7 points (43.1 percent), 5.4 rebounds

Ryan Anderson used to be a guy who camped out around the three-point arc and just heaved the ball as soon as the leather hit his palms.

Now, seven years into the league, Anderson’s offensive game has evolved to the point that he’s the Pelicans’ go-to guy off the bench. He’s developed a crafty post game that features a lot of pump-fakes, but it’s been effective.

NOLA.com’s John Reid said on Dec. 30 that the bench has been too reliant on Anderson, who accounts for nearly half of the second string’s point total, via HoopsStats.

“If he has a great game, then the bench is productive," Reid said. “They rally around him and the pressure is off them. They could play free and don’t have to put so much pressure on trying to make plays. But when he’s not on that three-point shot and he’s forcing it a little bit, it seems like the bench just can’t get it together.”

Reid’s words ring true—without Anderson, this bench would be in shambles. And there certainly have been cold nights for the three-point specialist, who’s shooting a career-low 34.1 percent from beyond the arc.

But he has erupted for 20-plus scoring nights 10 different times this season, including a pair of 30-plus outings against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Anderson, who has struggled with injuries in recent years, will continue to play a huge role down the stretch in New Orleans as long as he’s physically capable.

2. Jrue Holiday

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Stats: 15.3 points (44.4 percent), 7.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals

One of the most underrated guards in the league, Holiday has played well for a New Orleans team that would be lost without his hustle, leadership and effort on both ends.

Holiday, Davis’ top sidekick, has thrived alongside the Brow. The two have been the Pelicans’ top two-man combination, which isn’t surprising given Holiday’s affinity for lobbing alley-oops to the big fella, not to mention their respective defensive prowess.

Of AD’s 286 converted field goals, Holiday has assisted on 101, via NBA.com. The duo has become one of the most formidable guard-forward combinations in the NBA.

Night in and night out, Holiday is faced with a difficult matchup thanks to the league’s saturation with phenomenal point guards. And yet, somehow, he’s held opponents to 1.3 percent less than their usual shooting average, per NBA Tracking.

Holiday is truly an elite defender, and his offensive game has steadily improved as he’s gotten back to full strength from the leg injury that sidelined him for nearly all of last year.

New Orleans lacks a true point guard outside of “That Boy Jrue,” too, which makes him an even more irreplaceable piece of the team.

Davis will be the star, Evans will be the secondary scorer, and Anderson will carry the bench.

But as the Pelicans chase a spot in the playoffs, Holiday needs to continue to serve as the straw that stirs the drink.

1. Anthony Davis

Stats: 23.8 points (56.2 percent), 10.5 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, 1.7 steals, 1.6 assists

The Earth is round. Pelicans are birds. Anthony Davis has a unibrow.

These are all very true statements but no truer than the fact that AD is the best player in New Orleans and closing in on being the top dog in all of basketball.

For anyone who knows what color a basketball is, it should be no surprise that Davis finishes in the top spot here. He’s absolutely destroying box scores and opponents alike, doing all he can to shoulder the load in New Orleans.

"It doesn’t matter," Davis said before his first game in his hometown of Chicago on Dec. 27, via Mark Strotman of CSN Chicago. "I don’t really care about that. I just want to win. I could hang 50, and if we lose it really doesn’t matter. It doesn’t mean anything."

Winning is the priority for the young star, who has elevated himself into MVP conversations at just 21 years old. The ‘Cans have nine games against sub-.500 teams in January, so now is the time to make a playoff push.

Earning a postseason berth in the West will be harder than running through a concrete slab, but anything is possible with Davis leading the way.

A little help from the rest of the Pelicans wouldn’t hurt either.

All stats are accurate as of Jan. 4 courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.