As debate raged in Dallas and Los Angeles about the uncertain status of DeAndre Jordan, and the makeup of Western Conference teams San Antonio and Portland was altered dramatically with the address change of star player LaMarcus Aldridge, New Orleans GM Dell Demps’ primary objective was to retain many of the Pelicans who helped his team reach the 2015 playoffs. At 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on July 1, the biggest piece of the puzzle was obtained when Anthony Davis agreed to terms on a lengthy contract extension. Not long after, Pelicans veterans Omer Asik, Alexis Ajinca and Dante Cunningham also came to terms on new deals that will keep them in New Orleans.
At summer league in Las Vegas, Demps sat down with Pelicans.com to discuss the Pelicans’ offseason so far and the handful of moves the team has officially made since the NBA free-agent moratorium was lifted July 9.
Pelicans.com: What was your perspective entering free agency this month in terms of what you wanted to accomplish?
Demps: When free agency started, I felt like Jake and Elwood from the Blues Brothers, when they said they were going to bring the band back together. We felt last year that the addition of Omer to start the season, then during the season adding (Quincy) Pondexter, Cunningham and Norris (Cole), we kind of looked at those (last three) as our free-agent signings this year. So we felt that with the continuity of the group, and those guys added to it, we played at our best. So we wanted to continue growing. That was a major reason why we wanted to bring back our same core guys.
From the re-signed players’ perspective, how much of their desire to return came from the camaraderie and how tight this roster has become on and off the court? It seems like the tone has been set – starting with Anthony Davis – that guys are treated well and enjoy being in this locker room.
Demps: It’s like with any other job, you want to enjoy the people you work with. At the end of the season, looking at the group and the way they were working, you could see the chemistry. From talking to the guys, they expressed to me how they enjoy playing with each other and wanted it to continue. We feel like we’re still growing. We feel like we got a taste of the playoffs, but are by no means satisfied. We want to take that next step.
Watching the Western Conference in particular in recent years, how much do you think the difference between winning and losing has come down to chemistry? Meaning there may be teams who have similar talent on paper as the Spurs or the Warriors squad that just won the title, but San Antonio and Golden State capitalized partly on an advantage by having played together longer than teams like New Orleans.
Demps: I was once told that when you have chemistry and magic, you can’t put it on paper. Once you have it, you better keep it. But then you always weigh that risk of, do you think you can get better chemistry (by making changes)? We really liked watching the way our guys played together last season, playing with a sense of desperation and urgency (during a 25-16 second half of 2014-15 to reach the West playoffs). We feel building our team, keeping them together and fostering continuity is going to be very important. The guys like each other and the city of New Orleans. They’ve embraced the opportunities. We felt like they want to be here.
Turning to the individual returnees who’ve officially signed so far, what were some of the reasons you wanted to bring Omer Asik back? How much of Omer’s impact comes from how he affects Anthony Davis on the floor?
Demps: Throughout Omer’s career, he’s been one of the top rebounders in the NBA. That was one of our weaknesses before he came to us. Omer gives AD the opportunity to roam more and take chances defensively, and he also makes it so AD doesn’t feel like he has to get every rebound. Also, Omer can bang against a lot of the bigger players, especially in our conference, where there are so many good bigs. We think that Omer and Alexis complement each other, where Omer is more of a defensive-minded player and rebounder. Alexis is also a good rebounder, but he’s more of a scorer.
How much of the optimism you have about Alexis is based on that you think he still has upside as a player? He seemed to be one of the most improved players on the roster last season compared to 2013-14, particularly in adding new elements to his offensive arsenal.
Demps: A few years ago, when Alexis first came to the NBA, I don’t think he was quite ready from a physical standpoint, and I don’t know if he understood what it was going to take to become an NBA player. To his credit, he put the time in, worked on his craft, left the NBA and came back with something to prove. Talking to him when we initially signed him (in December 2013), it was important for him to prove to everyone that not only does he belong in the NBA, but that he could help a team win. It’s been fun watching his development and growth. He was a big contributor to us last year. He had some games where we don’t win without him.
As far as Dante Cunningham, it seemed like he immediately brought a presence to the team on and off the floor. When assessing him, did you feel like he was another player that did a lot of things to help you win games, but they aren’t always reflected in the box score?
Demps: Yes. The stat sheet doesn’t represent his contributions, including from a toughness and grit standpoint. And he’s a great teammate, energy guy. Dante was able to give us so many extra possessions last season just from his effort.