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Boogie and the Brow: Offense
New Orleans’s anemic offense may have just found its solution – by adding DeMarcus Cousins (referred to in this article as “Boogie”), the Pels have instantly gone from a bottom of the barrel offense to one featuring the two most talented scoring bigs in the NBA. It is a drastic change for a team whose […]
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The Risks Associated with DeMarcus Cousins
Most are saying the New Orleans Pelicans fleeced the Sacramento Kings in the blockbuster trade which brought DeMarcus Cousins to the Crescent City. Some have even gone as far as saying there are no downsides to this deal. And while the Pelicans gave up very little to bring in a player the caliber of Cousins, […]
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Jrue-th or Dare: An Early Look into the Pelicans’ 2017 Off-Season
When Anthony Davis first signed his max contract extension, all that some people wanted to talk about was the Pelicans’ franchise officially being “on the clock.” As in, the challenge to keep him in NOLA for the duration of his athletic prime and beyond, rather than just the extent of that contract, began on that day. Ever […]
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Statistics, Uncertainty and Boogie
It’s always been curious to me that the NBA writers, bloggers and fans that describe themselves as “stats heads” are the ones who are the least willing to accept uncertainty. This player is bad. This system is outdated. This coach or GM is dumb. Those are very certain statements made by people who claim to […]
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Building a Team Around a Jrue/Boogie/AD Core
It is hard to not be excited about the Pelicans absolute fleecing of the Kings in this DeMarcus Cousins trade. Getting a superstar is difficult. Getting a superstar to come to a small market is even harder. Getting a superstar to come to a small market when you don’t have elite assets to trade for […]
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New Orleans Pelicans Trade for DeMarcus Cousins
The New Orleans Pelicans will land DeMarcus Cousins in trade, per multiple reports came out after the conclusion of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. Reports of discussions built before and during the game. This will be fleshed out in the coming days, but here’s the primer. The Trade New Orleans Pelicans Receive: DeMarcus Cousins Omri […]
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In the NO Podcast Ep 276: DeMarcus Cousins and a Big Three?
Holy crap. We’re recording a pod, talking about that terrible Lay-up line – er – All-Star Game, and suddenly a blockbuster trade falls on us. Boogie and Casspi for Hield, Evans, Galloway, a 1st, and a 2nd. Holy crap. We talk about it. And what else the team may do. Holy crap. Want it on […]
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New Orleans Pelicans’ Once and Future All-Star
As the Pelicans approach the All-Star break the main focus will be on Anthony Davis, and, to a lesser extent, Buddy Hield. But there is someone else in New Orleans that people should be paying an eye on. Jrue Holiday. Over the last 13 games leading into the All-Star break, Holiday has been playing fantastic, […]
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Chris Trew & Luke Bonner Chat about NBA All-Star Weekend
Everyone’s favorite Pelicans fan, Chris Trew, and former NBA D-League player, Luke Bonner, recently crossed paths for the first time at One Eyed Jack’s in New Orleans. The two decided to follow up on this chance encounter with an email correspondence about NBA All-Star Weekend, which follows below. Luke Bonner: All-Star weekend is almost here. […]
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Civil Disobedience
Don’t hate the media; become the media. — Jello Biafra I’ve written a few very personal pieces on this site over the years. Long-time readers and friends will recall my David West Lament, my message to the nay-sayers, and more. Mostly you know me for my old news summaries, boring coverage of laws and analysis, […]
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Brook Lopez and Setting the Bar
Earlier this week, I wrote about the swirling Jahlil Okafor rumors and why I don’t think it’s a good idea for the Pelicans to trade for him. Yesterday, one of the targets I proposed for the Pelicans, Jusuf Nurkic, was unloaded to Portland; this might have taken Portland out of the bidding war for Okafor, and […]
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The Injury Inefficiency Efficiency
The New Orleans Pelicans seem to be plagued with injuries. Some Pelicans fans feel like this is a curse of some sort. Some writers and even employees and players have mentioned, likely in jest and in frustration. The data backs up that the fans are not wrong about the effect of the injuries and which […]
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NOkafor: Why I Have Little Interest in Jahlil
Earlier this week, there were rumors that the Pelicans had interest in Jahlil Okafor. There were multiple proposed packages, involving assets ranging from this year’s draft pick to unloading Alexis Ajinca’s contract. I suspect the alleged package involving Ajinca + some protected version of the 2018 Pelicans pick is the correct one. For now, though, […]
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So It Is a Center Pairing, Is It?
Amid recent reports around the Pelicans’ trade deadline activity is a message from the organization that they have made a decision regarding the future of the team: they are going to find a center to pair with Anthony Davis. Not a 4 willing to take on the duties of a 5. Not a stretch-5. A […]
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In the NO Podcast EP. 275: Little Letdowns
Michael and I talk about these little letdowns that keep spiraling into Pelicans defeats – and while Michael walks away more positive than expected, I end up a bit more negative. A bit of a change of pace for us, I think! We talk about the importance of the next 6 games to the trade […]
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Figuring Out the Pelicans’ Identity
You’ve heard a bunch of buzzwords thrown out regarding the Pelicans this year: Defense, Pace, Switching, Blue-Collar. But another word has been popping up recently. Identity. And that’s probably the worst one to hear. Back in December, Anthony Davis told Justin Verrier of ESPN.com, “we have to figure out what team we want to be […]
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The Race For 8th
Like many Pelicans’ fans my frustration almost reached a tipping point after the all around embarrassing performance against the Brooklyn Nets. But in true Pelicans’ fashion they turned around and beat the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, and did so without Anthony Davis. Now fans are left even more confused as to where the team stands […]
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In the NO(pe) Pod Ep 274: Trade Jrue?
Trading Jrue. That’s pretty much what Michael and I talk about all pod long. What teams are buyers and sellers, which ones make sense to trade Jrue too, what sort of packages you can get back, etc etc. We do touch on a few other guys, but it’s mostly the Jrue Show. Want it on […]
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The Jrue Holiday Trade That Makes Sense For Everyone
The Pelicans management is in a tough spot here. Ownership wants to make the playoffs, yet a singular focus on that one goal could have terrible ramifications for future years. Imagine a situation where the Pelicans get the 8th seed, or fall a few games short, denying all offers to trade players before the February […]
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In the NO Episode 273: Pushing for 8?
Michael and I talk about Jrue, Moore, and the push for the 8th seed in the West. Do we want the Pels to go for it? Trade Jrue? Set Moore free? We also talk about what the Pelicans can get out of this season, how important this stretch of games is, and if Anthony Davis […]