Potential Lineup Thoughts for Pelicans

[jonathanlambert33]

-Omer Asik is here for Davis, and there are few better defensive pairings for the still-svelte 21 year old. Asik is a defensive monster who can take on bruising centers, gobble up rebounds, and deter shots in the paint. Playing Asik should allow Davis more liberty to gamble (because Asik can still act as the final line of defense) and the Pelican guards will likely have less rebounding responsibility. The days of needing 2-3 guards/small forwards to gang-rebound are hopefully over.

-I have seen the idea of Ryno/Asik/AD pitched for the end of the games. I imagine this trio will have defensive issues, even with Asik and Davis paired together. The main question is who defends the perimeter? and the obvious answer is Anthony Davis.. but as we saw last year, as good as Davis is defending perimeter players in isolation, he simply cannot chase a perimeter player around screens for extended minutes. This combination may work for a few minutes, tops.

-The oft-criticized Eric Gordon graded as a terrible defender, but if Asik can cover for James Harden, maybe theres hope. And Gordon is still a solid offensive player, albeit not the offensive force he once was. Gordons contract is still cumbersome, but his defensive/rebounding issues are less of a concern next to Asik. In fact, if Gordon is to be kept, I think his time with Asik should be maximized.

-There could be issues with a Tyreke/Asik lineup if the Pelicans cannot put 2-3 very good shooters next to them. Anthony Davis is working on the corner 3, which could mitigate this issue when these 3 play together. I also think Tyreke/Asik/Ryno could be a potent 3 man combination. Asik sets strong screens and Tyreke gets to the rim at an extremely high rate. If Asik can set a solid screen on Tyrekes man, Tyreke can get to the rim and attack the shot-blocker (opening up an offensive rebound opportunity for Asik) or dump it off to Asik. Andersons presence helps prevent the defense from collapsing on the penetration.

-I am excited to see potential Ryan Anderson/Omer Asik lineups next season. Make no mistake, Asik is here because he fits well beside Davis, but that doesnt preclude the Pelicans from trying Asik next to Ryno when Davis is sitting. Anderson and Asik are very much opposite sides of the same coin: Andersons presence changes an offense, and Asiks presence changes a defense. Each is limited in his effectiveness on the other side of the floor.. so why not try combining them? Asiks excellent rebounding alleviates concerns regarding Rynos weak defensive rebounding, and Rynos lethal shooting lessens the concerns of Asiks limited offensive ability. Perhaps the biggest concern of this lineup is that teams will bring Asik out in the pick and roll, which leaves Ryan Anderson to protect the rim. The effectiveness of this lineup could very well depend on how Monty chooses to have Asik defend the pick/roll. I would advocate for Asik not to show/hedge if Anderson is his frontcourt partner.

-If Jason Smith is kept, I think he fits alongside Ryno and a bench unit much better than he does with Asik. A Smith-Asik lineup would most likely require a lethal 3 point shooter running the show on offense.. and I mean one who will pull up from 3 on the P/R, not one who can spot up from 3 off the ball. Unless Jrue starts taking a higher volume of 3 pointers in this manner, I dont think the Pelicans have this type of player. Granted, I am unfamiliar with Russ Smiths game.

-If Ajinca is back, I dont think he fits next to Asik.

-Jrue Holidays game can be changed to fit the players around him. He is not nearly as good as Tyreke Evans at penetrating with the ball, but it would require a poor combination of players to drag down an Asik/Jrue lineup. Jrues ability to pressure at the point of attack and Asiks ability/willingness to protect the rim could be a potent combination.

-Getting stops/turnovers is conducive to getting points in transition. As I said earlier, the Pelicans gang-rebounded on the defensive boards in 13-14, which prevented them from getting out and running very often. Tyreke Evans and Anthony Davis are lethal in transition, and Asiks ability to protect the rim and rebound may give them license to get on the break more often.

That's the end of the article, beginning and middle discusses Asik with Chicago and Houston and how the teams differed.

http://www.bourbonstreetshots.com/2014/07/02/omer-asik-and-potential-pelicans-lineups/