2. Biggest upgrade on this years roster, when compared to last year
McNamara: Most will say Jrue Holiday, but I think going from a hobbled Eric Gordon to a healthy Eric Gordon is the biggest upgrade. Monty has got to love going from a terrible defensive player at the point of attack to one of the top-5 defensive point guards in the league. And while some may say that the upgrade offensively from Vasquez to Holiday is marginally, I believe Holiday gives the Pelicans more options on that end as well. But with all that said, I still think that if the Pelicans get the Eric Gordon that NBA fans saw in the 2010-11 season, that is the bigger upgrade. The guy we saw last year was named Eric Gordon but he was not Eric Gordon. The Pelicans got little to no production from their shooting guard position last year, but if that is replaced by a full season of a healthy Eric Gordon, that is the biggest upgrade on the team.
Pellissier: Tyreke Evans. Jrue is a better player, but watching that second unit offense last year was incredibly frustrating. Tyrekes athleticism in the open court and his ability to attack the rim is a welcome injection of energy into a second unit that could now be a serious asset to this Pelicans squad.
Madison: Holiday. The teams defense really struggled when Vasquez was on the court last season. Holiday is a strong guard who will be able to fight through screens on the pick and roll while still having the speed to keep up with quicker guards. The puts less pressure help defenders to perfect rotations. Plus, hes and Anthony Davis are going to rain absolute havoc on the league with the pick and roll.
Ginsberg: McNamara hit the nail on the head here. Holiday is certainly an upgrade at PG and Evans brings the team added versatility on the wings, but the biggest upgrade will be from an injured/hobbled Eric Gordon to a healthy one. The Hornets got next to nothing last year from their shooting guard position when Gordon was out, and even when he returned, he was nowhere near the version of Gordon that the team thought they were getting in the Chris Paul trade. If this preseason is any indication, a completely healthy Gordon will be an immense boost to this Pelicans team, and may be the difference in regards to their playoff chances.
Calmes: Holiday. Holiday is a much more complete player than Vasquez. While Vasquez is a better pure passer than Holiday is, he has significant holes in his game. Holiday brings defense and better 3-point shooting, valued skills on this team. Im not sure what exactly Tyreke is an upgrade over, and I dont consider someone being an upgrade over themselves.
