NBA 2016-17 forecast: Southwest Division
By Brian Boake
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Last season: 30 – 52
This season: 33 – 49
This team won big in the 2012 lottery by grabbing the brilliant Anthony Davis, but he’s been lonely too long. Unless they plan to surround him with real players sooner than later, he’s going to bolt, and who could blame him? The always-injured Tyreke Evans will try to get through another season.
They have added a bunch of cast-offs like Langston Galloway, Solomon Hill (who might prove a pleasant surprise), and E’Twaun Moore. To me they are more like Brooklyn South than a contender.
Beware any team who touts a rookie (in their case, Buddy Hield) as the missing link. Davis is eminently capable of posting another MVP-grade season for a team on a downhill slide.
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