New Orleans Pelicans Have A Problem At Small Forward

Several decades ago, having a good or great center was a necessity for nearly every team. Other than the point guard position, small forward is arguably the most important spot in the NBA right now. Teams are playing small ball more than ever and having a small forward who can also play power forward is a big advantage.

Last year’s NBA Finals MVP was Andre Iguodala, and two of the best players in the league, Kevin Durant and LeBron James, are both small forwards. The best defender in the league, Kawhi Leonard, is a small forward whose athleticism and physique rank amongst the best in the league. There is a reason the Los Angeles Clippers haven’t been able to go anywhere. They don’t have a reliable small forward on their roster. The New Orleans Pelicans are also not going anywhere until they find a solution at the position.

Alonzo Gee is a defender, but it’s not as if he will shut guys down on any given night. Offensively, his limited perimeter shooting paired with his 3.8 points per game barely provide any impact. Luke Babbitt was statistically the best three-point shooter last season, but he is below average defensively and this season he is seeing less time on the court.

Quincy Pondexter shot well from three-point range (43.3 percent) and averaged nine points per game last season for the Pelicans, but he hasn’t played at all this season. Even if he was playing, he still needs to improve defensively in order to become an elite defender. Pondexter is an above average defender who can defend several positions, but there are so many stars at the small forward position that being above average isn’t enough.

One of the reasons why the Pelicans are among the worst teams defensively is because they can’t defend anyone on the perimeter. The team has no primary defender to rely on every night. The Pelicans are giving up 105.7 points per game, and unless they find a good long-term small forward, they won’t win anything.