Big Easy Believer
Fansided

Pelicans Free Agency Day 1: Return of the Big Men

By Mike Delayo

facebooktwitterreddit

The start to NBA Free Agency always feels like a holiday to me.

The unexpected signings, the infinite rumors and reports, and the collective cheers and jeers from each team as they resign franchise players or lose one to a division rival help create an atmosphere that rivals any actual playing of the sport.

Yesterday, the 2015 NBA Free Agency period began and lived up to all the hype.

Apr 25, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the second half in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Smoothie King Center. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 109-98. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Davis: 5 years, $145 million

Right as midnight struck on the east coast, the Pelicans had agreed to extend franchise cornerstone Anthony Davis to a five year deal worth about $145 million. Not too shabby. And his rapid evolution over the last couple of years rivals that of Caesar’s in Planet of the Apes (which was ridiculously fast.)

It was likely Davis would sign an extension, but seeing this tweet show up to kick off the day was an extremely satisfying surprise.

He will have the option to opt out in 2020, according to ESPN Insider Marc Stein

A clause like this was expected, given many superstars receive the option to opt out thanks to hopes of management to further convince their stars to stay put. Hopefully, Davis will be more than happy to stick around for contracts to come.

Davis wants to be in New Orleans just as much as we want him here. He is already near the top of the NBA’s elite players, meaning title contention may not be as far over the horizon as some may think. By the time this contract is up, a new NBA dynasty could already be underway. And like Casear, Anthony Davis could be the king the entire NBA colony.

Jan 18, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New Orleans Pelicans center Alexis Ajinca (42) battles for a rebound against Toronto Raptors forward James Johnson (3) and forward Tyler Hansbrough (50) at Air Canada Centre. The Pelicans beat the Raptors 95-93. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

After the first minute had ticked away, the Pelicans had already accomplished their most important task. Considering the low priority targets they would be chasing for the remainder of free agency, I did not expect much for the rest of the day.

Then, the sands started to shift:

A few days earlier the Pelicans gave Jeff Withey and Norris Cole qualifying offers, making both of them restricted free agents. This means that if they received an offer from another team, New Orleans would have the right to retain the player for the same price.

Withey’s qualifying offer was a lowly $1.5 million, so when this was reported a clear goal could not be established. However, not much later the Pelicans struck a deal with their other backup center Alexis Ajinca.

Ajinca and the Pelicans agreed on a four year contract worth $20.2 million. With the cap rising a bit this summer before exploding next summer, this deal would have come out to be roughly $2.5 million to $3 million last season. So definitely still a cheap get.

Ajinca put on some great offensive performances this past season, with and without Davis available. Without his work, the Pelicans would likely not have made their recent run to the playoffs. He definitely earned this contract, his first multi-year deal after a lengthy basketball journey.

More from Big Easy Believer

While Davis would fit on any team that wanted to bring him in, Ajinca is not as versatile. Alvin Gentry’s up tempo style of play will consist of a lot of quick moving, fast paced offensive sets.

And Ajinca is, well, not fast.

He lumbers up and down the court and is effective in the post. His jumper will surprise people with both its fluidity of form and the results it bears.

Only time will tell if he will be able to fit in the iteration of Pelicans basketball. He is a great person off the court, so I wish nothing but the best for the French big man. Hopefully he will be an effective backup to his Turkish counterpart for seasons to come.

Mar 17, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) reacts in the final seconds of the fourth quarter of game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Smoothie King Center.The Pelicans defeated the Bucks 85-84. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

And that brings us to Omer Asik.

The fate of the Turkish Hammer was the cloudiest of all Pelicans heading into the off-season.

Would he depart after just one year in the Bayou? Or would he stick around and try to indicate to his team that getting him for two first round picks was worth it?

Late last night, we got an answer:

Personally I did not expect a five year deal, and an average of $12 million per year seems a bit high on the surface. However after sleeping on it, I think the deal is solid.

The Southwest Division, where every team made the playoffs in the 2014-2015 season, is chock full of talent at center.

April 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) controls the basketball during the second quarter in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 97-87. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

More from New Orleans Pelicans

With Marc Gasol on the Grizzlies, Dwight Howard on the Rockets, and potentially DeAndre Jordan on the Mavericks, the Pelicans need Asik to ease the defensive burden off of Anthony Davis.

Asik is not pleasing to watch for most fans. His hand eye coordination does not seem to function on the offensive end of the floor, and he is slow in getting the ball up above his defender, resulting in a ton of blocked shots.

However, Asik does bring a couple things to the table on offense.

He sets relatively good screens, and has a knack for making some pretty nice interior passes. If he can improve just slightly on the offensive end, his contract will be a steal.

Over the next couple of years, teams across the league will be paying up for size that may not be as effective as Asik.

Though his contract may seem expensive, the rapport he already has with his team plus his game changing defense and size will prove his worth for the duration of his contract.

The Pelicans have a few smaller moves to make, but the bulk of their work is done.

The front court may be crowded, but they will have plenty of talent to choose from over the next five years.

All we can do as fans is trust that new coach Alvin Gentry will be able to make it work, and help take this Pelicans team to the promised land.

Next: 2015 NBA Free Agency: 3 Forwards the Pelicans Could Target

Home/New Orleans Pelicans