Top 2016 Offseason Priorities for the New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans finished their injury-riddled season with a 30-52 record, missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. 

Just how hurt were they? The Pelicans lost a combined 351 games to injuries, the second-most of any team in the past decade, while fielding 42 different starting lineups, according to ESPN’s Justin Verrier.

Someone has to take the blame when a team regresses, but it’s difficult to point any fingers here. Head coach Alvin Gentry, who took over the wheel from Monty Williams this season, never had a chance to truly implement his system, and withholding judgement is only fair for now.

New Orleans will, as Gentry so eloquently put it, flush this year down the toilet and move on. A swift return to the playoff picture isn’t unrealistic, but a firm plan must be set in motion to properly navigate the impending cap boom.

Try to Dump Omer Asik

Perhaps in an attempt to establish consistency, the Pelicans rewarded Omer Asik with a five-year, $60 million deal last summer. He has always been an offensive liability, even more so in an uptempo system, and the swift evolution of NBA small ball has ensured that rim protection doesn’t make up for that. SB Nation’s Tom Ziller explained:

But as a big man switching out on the perimeter in today’s NBA, you have to be able to credibly slow or divert the attacker into more helpful places. Asik isn’t quick or long enough to make life difficult for even players far lesser than LeBron. His size, which worked in his favor as he entered the league, is now an albatross.

Asik’s minutes per game decreased from 26.1 to 17.3 this year, and it’s hard to justify an eight-figure salary for a big putting up four points and 6.1 rebounds. If New Orleans wants to win now, freeing up his $9.9 million salary slot for an efficient contributor would be beneficiary.

With an influx of cap room around the league, teams who fail to compete for free-agent signatures will be able to use that space to absorb contracts for trade exceptions, as long as there are appetizers attached. The Pelicans have a lottery draft pick which should land in the six-to-nine range, but they’d have to receive a great rotation cog to even consider parting ways with such a high selection.

Let Eric Gordon Go

No one could blame New Orleans when it matched the four-year, $58 million offer sheet that Eric Gordon signed with the Phoenix Suns in 2012. He was the main return in the Chris Paul trade, and the Pelicans simply had to protect their investment.

But it’s time to part ways now.

Gordon has declined since signing that deal, and he hasn’t managed to log more than 64 …

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