To open the 2016-17 regular season, New Orleans will face a daunting slate of opponents over the next two weeks, including matching up twice against record-setting Golden State, along with Saturday’s visit to San Antonio. Yet while the Pelicans compete in real games for the first time since April, there will be other activity worth keeping an eye on, as the team tries to move closer to full strength.
At a Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation luncheon in Mid-City on Tuesday, Pelicans GM Dell Demps said that the upcoming two-week timeframe will help determine when the team may eventually see key wing contributors Tyreke Evans and Quincy Pondexter able to play in games.
Evans (knee) began on-court activity Saturday; Demps said the Pelicans hope to see Evans in uniform at some stage possibly between late November and mid-December.
“Tyreke began on-court activities this week, which is great,” Demps said. “His timetable will be determined really in the next two weeks, depending on how rehab goes. But he’s on the court, he’s shooting, his body looks great.”
Evans last played in a game Jan. 25, but missed New Orleans’ final 38 contests last season. The Pelicans went 11-14 in the 25 games Evans appeared, but were just 19-38 overall when he was sidelined by injury.
Meanwhile, Pondexter has not played since April 2015, when the Pelicans dropped a first-round playoff series against eventual NBA champion Golden State. The versatile two-way forward missed the entire 2015-16 season due to knee surgeries.
“Quincy’s probably going to take a little bit longer than (Evans to return),” Demps said. “We’ll get a better determination on Quincy probably in about two weeks.”
With Evans and Jrue Holiday (personal) not available early in the season, the Pelicans essentially only have five guards who can play right now, a list that includes late-offseason pickup Lance Stephenson. The former Indiana Pacers starter found out he had made the roster Monday, the deadline day for NBA teams to get down to 15 players. New Orleans was forced to waive Alonzo Gee in order to make room for Stephenson.
Demps called it a “tough decision,” but one that was necessitated by the team’s current needs and roster situation.
“With the injuries to Tyreke, and Jrue not being with the team, we felt like we needed a little more playmaking,” Demps said. “Alonzo is known as a defender who can also finish plays, but Lance is a bit of a wild card. He can go out and create and make plays for others. That was one of the big reasons we elected to keep him, because of his ability to create, get in the lane and break down the defense.”