draft 2016 news

Jim Eichenhofer

There was a 12-hour day ahead, but when Jamelle McMillan walked into a Long Beach, Calif., gym last summer, one player was already drenched in sweat at 8 a.m., getting in a full-scale workout. A New Orleans player development coach, McMillan quickly realized that then-Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield was in the midst of a two-hour individual session, despite the fact that the Adidas Nations camp ran daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“That was impressive,” said McMillan, who coached Hield’s team at the camp, attended by numerous elite college players each year. “Most kids treat it like it’s (a leisurely summer) camp. He treated it like an opportunity, a job, almost like an interview. It wasn’t fake. He wasn’t in there working out with an NBA player (so he’d be noticed). He had an Adidas guy, a trainer, anybody who happened to be around and would rebound for him. To me, it was authentic.”

Without a doubt, Hield’s gym-rat tendencies, work ethic and off-court intangibles are among the reasons why the Pelicans were excited to land him with the No. 6 pick in the NBA draft. The native of the Bahamas steadily progressed during his college career, averaging 25.0 points as a senior and leading Oklahoma to the Final Four.

“He brings maturity,” said David Booth, the Pelicans’ director of player personnel, who studied Hield extensively on and off the hardwood. “Being a four-year player, you get a kid who has a high level of maturity. Off the court, his personality is infectious. Everyone we talked to in the past said what a great kid he is. He’s kind of a pied piper, where people just want to be around him. He brings leadership qualities.”

Asked during the Pelicans’ draft-night radio show what New Orleans should know about Hield, Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger said, “You’ll love him. He’s a terrific kid. He’s a great worker, a great teammate, he’s all about winning. The fans will love him. The front-office folks will love him. He’s just very genuine and loves to play the game. He has a great appreciation for the opportunity he has.”

In his first week as a member of the Pelicans, coaches and staff members have already noticed how frequently Hield references his family and homeland in conversation. Now 22 years old, he moved to the United States in 2010, before enrolling at Oklahoma in ‘12, with the goal of someday becoming an NBA player.

“With his background, everything is family-driven,” said McMillan, whose father is Nate McMillan, the new head coach of the Indiana Pacers and a legendary former Seattle SuperSonics guard. “Everything he does revolves around his family and is for them, in (representing) his last name and something to be proud of. Country-wise, the Bahamas are like his everything. He wants success for the right reasons. He has a priority list and is extremely religious. I think that helps with his spirit, bringing a positive energy to everything he does, and a belief in himself.”

It was something McMillan witnessed first-hand last summer on a daily basis. Although players aren’t necessarily aware of it, NBA personnel often watch to see how prospects carry themselves and interact with others in everyday situations, to get a read on their character or decision-making. At last summer’s Adidas camp, Hield quickly became popular among teammates, even though some played for rival schools such as Kansas.

“He was a guy who never shut up on the team bus,” McMillan said, meaning that in the best way possible. “He got along with everyone, regardless of who they were. He just brought a positive energy, a positive spirit. Guys had a lot of fun with him. He’s very supportive of his teammates. He’s always saying, ‘Let’s go fellas; we gotta make more shots fellas; we’re good fellas, don’t worry about it.’ He was the ultimate teammate.”

“I love Buddy Hield, because his personality is just so effervescent,” NBA.com writer David Aldridge said on NBA TV’s draft recap show. “He’s just a terrific kid.”

“Buddy will be your happiest guy every day,” Kruger said. “He’ll walk into the room and make everyone feel very good. He’s a culture-changer. He is the most popular on campus, in the community, with his teammates. He’s a guy coaches love to work with, because he’s so fired up about getting better every day. You’ll love him. He’ll become one of your favorite guys.”

Hield was already well on his way to earning a spot near the top of the draft, but for some NBA evaluators, his performance Jan. 30 in Baton Rouge against LSU helped seal the deal. In a dramatic 77-75 victory for Oklahoma over the Tigers and eventual No. 1 pick Ben Simmons, Hield piled up 32 points and went 8/15 from three-point range. The Pelicans had a home game later that Saturday evening, but McMillan caught some of the NCAA matchup on a TV in the Smoothie King Center. Once again, he came away impressed by Hield, long before he had any idea that Hield would eventually become a Pelican.

“When the game was tight, he ran off I don’t know how many threes in a row,” remembered McMillan, himself a former Arizona State guard. “There are guys who are really good in college, and then there are guys who make sure it is noted how good they are. It was a marquee game and he delivered. He took some tough shots and made them, but the fact he took the shots in the moments he did, to me that can’t be taught. But he really trusts his preparation, and because he’s so prepared, he felt like it was just another situation.”

“He’s a guy who steps up in big moments,” Kruger said. “He wants to take big shots and is very confident. He’s a guy who will make the play that needs to be made.”

Kruger also attributes Hield’s clutch ability to the amount of accumulated time the player has spent in the gym, something the Pelicans have already noticed. After being drafted June 23, the rookie immediately jumped into workouts at the team’s Metairie practice facility, spending every weekday prior to the holiday weekend there.

“This kid knows his craft, respects it, lives it,” McMillan said. “He respects the game. It was something that I saw (last summer), where I was like, ‘That kid is going to himself every single opportunity to be successful.' ”

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Work ethic, personality, intangibles helped make Buddy Hield an NBA lottery pick

Aggressive double-teams by the defense. Heck, even triple-teams. His name at the top of every rival’s scouting report.

En route to leading Oklahoma to the Final Four in 2015-16 and garnering multiple national Player of the Year awards, Buddy Hield was a constant center of attention for opponents. Despite the non-stop focus, Hield averaged 25.0 points per game – second-best in Division I – and shot a scorching 45.7 percent from three-point range.

In a way, New Orleans’ lottery pick could experience something similar July 8-18 in Las Vegas, when the Pelicans compete in NBA Summer League. Aside from perhaps Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons and the Lakers’ Brandon Ingram, there may be no more well-known name playing in the annual event.

“With Buddy, I told him you’re going to have a target on your back as soon as you step into summer league,” said David Booth, the Pelicans’ director of player personnel. “You’re the sixth pick – people are going to want to try you, and see what you have. I think he’s seen it already, so I don’t think it will be a big surprise to him, to have a target on his back.”

For fellow Pelicans rookie Cheick Diallo, the 33rd overall pick in the June 23 draft, Vegas is a long-awaited chance to play in organized, five-on-five competition. Due to NCAA clearance issues, Diallo got a late start to his one season at Kansas and then played sparingly, averaging just 7.5 minutes.

“We think that because he didn’t play a lot last season, this is a great opportunity for him to continue his learning curve,” Booth said of the 19-year-old. “It’s a great chance to get reps under his belt. It’s important for him to get playing time and just be on the floor. His upside is tremendous, but for it to be recognized, he has to get game reps in. So summer league is a big step in that. It’s going to be really important in his growth and development.”

Hield, Diallo will be joined on New Orleans’ roster primarily by players who are trying to prove themselves and get a foot in the door in the NBA. The Pelicans are expected to release their complete roster in the coming days, with minicamp starting Tuesday at the team’s Metairie practice facility. New Orleans will head to Nevada on Thursday and begin game action Friday vs. the Lakers (9:30 p.m. Central). Unlike some prior years, the ’16 summer Pelicans will receive significant TV exposure, including their opener being televised live by ESPN. The July 10 game vs. Utah (7 p.m. Central) is scheduled to be broadcast by NBA TV, with remaining games to be announced. New Orleans, which reached the semifinal round in 2015, will play a minimum of five games in Vegas.

The games will give Hield and Diallo a chance to learn more about NBA competition, roughly two months before New Orleans training camp begins in late September.

“For Buddy, I think it will be learning the rules of the NBA: illegal defenses, where you can have your hands (defensively to avoid) different fouls, the shot clock being 24 seconds,” Booth said. “Just adjusting to the different rules of the NBA compared to college. Playing-wise, I think he’ll be fine. (Diallo) is a kid with upside who we feel can be a positive on the offensive end. He’s already shown he’s a positive on defense, because of his long arms, athleticism and ability to block shots.

“They’re both going to be in situations where they can use summer league as a steppingstone to gauge where they are, and take that into the season in the fall when we start training camp.”

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Summer league a chance for Buddy Hield, Cheick Diallo to get first taste of NBA competition

Don’t know a whole lot yet about 19-year-old New Orleans rookie Cheick Diallo? That puts you in similar company with Kansas Jayhawks fans, who only saw glimpses of the 6-foot-9 forward during his one season on campus. To gain more insight into Diallo’s background and traits on and off the court, we caught up with Matt Tait, KUsports.com editor at the Lawrence Journal-World in Lawrence, Kansas. In this Q&A with Pelicans.com, Tait explains why Diallo received such limited playing time and provides extensive insight into the type of player and person New Orleans acquired in the second round on draft night. 

Q: We met Cheick for the first time on draft night under unusual circumstances, with him finding out he'd been traded by the Clippers – he was wearing a Los Angeles draft hat – to the Pelicans. He was also disappointed that did not get selected in the first round, instead falling to 33. Was it a surprise to you or fans in Kansas that he wasn't a first-round pick?

A: Diallo performed so well and seemed to turn so many heads during the NBA combine in May that I think most people believed he had done enough to cement himself in the first round. But, as late as the afternoon of the draft, I started to hear that he was not a lock to be a first-round pick so the fall didn't surprise me that much, especially when you consider he was taken three picks into the second round. As for the fan reaction, I don't think the KU fan base ever got that great of a feel for what Diallo was as a player and, because of that, I don't think anything surprised them about him. There was a lot of grumbling most of the season from frustrated fans who didn't understand why Bill Self didn't play him more, but all you had to do was watch him on the floor to see why Self chose experience over Diallo most of the season. His effort was never a question but he often struggled to execute basic offensive sets and could be disruptive to KU's flow. 

Q: He missed the early part of his one college season while being cleared academically due to issues with his high school. How much did getting a late start as a freshman negatively affect his season individually and the impact or role he had with the Jayhawks?

A: To put it bluntly, that buried him. With the proper time to work out some of the kinks against some of the lesser competition KU played, Diallo certainly could have turned himself into a player whom Self could rely on in a rotation role. But the eligibility issues cost him that opportunity and by the time he was cleared, he was playing major catch up. From there, the Big 12 season quickly arrived and if there's one thing Self has shown over and over during his time at Kansas it's that he's only going to play guys he trusts when it comes down to the conference schedule. Self always liked Diallo and often sang his praises about how hard he worked, how willing he was to learn and how good he was about not being a distraction. He just couldn't play him because others were so far ahead of him because of their years in the program and overall basketball IQs. 

Q: What were some of his biggest on-court strengths you saw him display in his limited action, things that might translate to him being successful as an NBA player?

A: He's fearless. And he has the potential to be a tenacious defender. I really think that the opportunity to learn from and battle with Anthony Davis is going to be so good for Diallo's game. Obviously, he'll never become the player that Davis is, but if he can learn the ropes from him and sort of absorb some of those things that Davis does that make him one of the top talents in the league, I think Diallo can be a solid pro eventually. He isn't likely to be the kind of guy coaches will run things for on the offensive end, but he doesn't need that to score. He has a decent jump shot and loves to work on the glass and get those sort of "garbage" buckets and steal possessions. On defense, he loves when opponents challenge him, both at the rim and in the mid-range game, and he's got great energy and an infectious personality that fans will quickly fall in love with — if he's playing, of course. 

Q: What are some of the areas where he likely needs to make noteworthy improvements in order to develop as a player and potentially become a consistent contributor as a pro?

A: Mostly just feel. He has everything you'd want in terms of the raw physical tools to be a good player. He just doesn't quite know how to use them yet and, furthermore, still does way too much thinking out there. There were times during his one season at Kansas when it did not even look like Diallo was having fun on the floor. That was crazy to see because, in the locker room, he was one of the most fun guys to be around. He liked to laugh, goof around, crack jokes and make teammates laugh and was always a terrific interview because he would be very honest and candid with his comments and had no problem elaborating on his point. He was never one of those one-word answer guys. So we know he loves the game and desperately wants to be good. He just needs more reps to get to the point where the feel for the game matches his physical tools. Most KU fans were shocked he went pro after one year, but this very point is the reason I think he did. With limits on how much he can work with coaches and, of course, his limited minutes on game nights, Diallo was not getting nearly enough time on the floor to improve that feel. In the NBA, with basketball now being his job and nothing else getting in the way of his opportunity to work on his game, I think he'll make some pretty big strides pretty quickly. He can work on his game — and body — morning, noon and night, even if he’s the last man on the Pelicans' bench or plays in the D-League. Either of those, if you ask me, is the path to quicker development.

Q: What's one thing fans might be surprised to know about Diallo?

A: I think it's easy for fans to look at how little Diallo played at KU and assume that it's because he didn't earn it or wasn't ready. But that's not the case at all. Self said in November that Diallo was one of the better role models for a team that he has had in his time at Kansas because he showed the rest of the group — both on the basketball court and in the classroom — what it really looked like to work. I think the idea there was this: If a guy who is barely playing is going to put in that kind of effort and work, the others should be willing and able to, as well. That fact, to me, further illustrates that when Diallo does get that feel for the game part down, and as long as he continues to develop, he could wind up being an absolute steal at pick No. 33. 

Q: Pelicans GM Dell Demps spoke very positively on draft night about Diallo's personality, saying the team's front office was impressed by the interview they did with him at the Chicago combine. What are your impressions of Diallo as a person?

A: Terrific kid, very easy to get along with, lots of fun to be around and very genuine. I'm not sure you can say many more nice things about one player, and, although we did not get a ton of time around him while he was at Kansas, all of those things came shining through loud and clear, from the minute we first talked to him in Maui after he finally learned he was cleared through the NCAA Tournament when he sat back and enjoyed the ride with his teammates despite barely playing. I'll never forget the answers he gave when I asked him about playing in his first NCAA Tournament game — a win over UConn in the second round — last March. It's much more hilarious if you imagine it being said in Diallo's broken English and Mali, African accent: “I was so scared the first time I saw NCAA Tournament game on TV,” Diallo said. “I was like, ‘Wow. That game was hard.’ But by the time I played today, I was like, ‘That’s an easy game.’ That’s how I was feeling. Today I was so excited. Even now I’m like, ‘Wow. I got nine points in NCAA Tournament.’ I was so happy.” That pretty much sums him up perfectly.

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Well-liked at Kansas, next step for Cheick Diallo is adding experience, polish to game

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Draft Recap: Best Photos of 2016 Draft

To learn more about New Orleans lottery pick Buddy Hield’s path to the NBA, Pelicans.com checked in with Michael Kinney, a freelance basketball writer who covers the University of Oklahoma hoops program. Kinney shared some of his insights from watching and covering the native of the Bahamas over the past four years, culminating with the Sooners making a trip to the Final Four this spring.

Q: Pelicans GM Dell Demps spoke after the draft about Hield’s rampant popularity on the Oklahoma campus and in the athletic program. What was your experience in terms of why he became so popular? What were some of the examples that may have shown that his stardom went beyond the norm for college basketball or perhaps for a player in Oklahoma’s program?

A: Buddy Hield's stature and popularity at Oklahoma steadily grew in his first couple years. During his junior season, in which he was named Big 12 Player of the Year, fans jumped on his bandwagon. The Sooners went to Nassau, Bahamas, for the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. It allowed OU fans and media to see where he came from and the obstacles he had to overcome. But it was when he made the decision to come back to Norman and forgo the NBA draft that people really wanted to get to know who Hield was.  His background story growing up in the Bahamas, his dedication to the school and his work ethic propelled him from being a great college athlete to the face of the entire university. 

Q: What is he like as a player in terms of how he interacts with the media and fans?

A: Buddy was great with both. He would always stop and talk to kids, signed autographs and held conversations about how the season was going. When it came to the media, it was slow at first, as with many freshmen. But he gradually became more open and a good quote. 

Q: What’s one thing people may be surprised to know about him?

A: The latter part of his senior season, Hield's mother moved into the two-bedroom apartment Buddy shared with teammate Isaiah Cousins. He gave his mother his bed, while he slept on the couch. 

Q: On draft night in Brooklyn, there was a contingent of media from the Bahamas following Hield's every move. Did you commonly see Bahamian media or fans at games in Norman, or even possibly Sooners road games, due to Hield?

A: Last season Bahamian flags started to pop up at OU home games. Especially after his mother started attending the games, there seemed to be a small contingent of flags and fans in her area. 

Q: For people who cover the Oklahoma program or are around the program, how surprising was it to see him go from a completely unknown freshman who did not play much, to what he developed into last season?

A: It caught everyone off guard. He was a fantastic player as a junior. Most kids make the jump to the league. But he came back and turned himself into something the Sooners program hadn't seen since Blake Griffin. He was must-see TV. We kept waiting for him to come back down to earth, but it never happened. 

Q: At what point last season did you start to think that not only was he dramatically improving his NBA draft stock, but that he had a very good chance to be picked extremely high?

A: Most fans and media members will say it was the Kansas game in which he scored 46 points in a triple overtime loss to the Jayhawks.  But in my mind it was the very next game when they hosted Kansas State in Norman. He poured in 31 points and shot 6 of 8 from 3-point range. He also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists in a bounce back game. That was when I knew he was not only physically able to play at the next level, but also mentally. 

Q: Having watched him play over the past four years, are there any untapped areas you think he can still make notable strides? People sometimes say that four-year seniors are finished products, but several recent-year draftees such as Damian Lillard, Jimmy Butler and C.J. McCollum have defied that thinking.

A: If Hield can take his ballhandling skills up a level or two, he can be more than just a scorer. He can be a playmaker. The theory that players who stay until their senior season are finished products has always been a flawed one. The growth Hield made from his junior season to his senior campaign shows that he still has untapped potential that should benefit the Pelicans greatly.

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Buddy Hield made dramatic rise over four-year career at Oklahoma

Pelicans staff writer Jim Eichenhofer and Daniel Sallerson recap the NBA Draft on a special edition Draft Recap Black and Blue Report.

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Black and Blue Report: Special Draft Recap Edition | June 27, 2016

Time to take a trip around the Internet to see how the New Orleans Pelicans fared on draft report cards from various sites (comments are from the respective media sources, condensed in some cases for length):

CBSSports.com (A): “The Pelicans get one of the guys they've wanted all along in Hield, a terrific shooter and scorer out of Oklahoma. He’s also the kind of marketable player that New Orleans needs down there. He and Anthony Davis should be a really nice fit. (Diallo is a) nice upside pick here for the Pelicans in getting Diallo, as he could fit well inside with Anthony Davis. Makes sense to consolidate two picks for one and get the guy you like.

Yahoo Ball Don’t Lie (A): “The Pelicans weren’t exactly drafting for need – or, at least, they shouldn’t have been at No. 6 – but adding a lights-out shooter like Hield will be music to the ears of New Orleans fans that have had to watch the dribble-dribble-dribble stylings of guards Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday and Eric Gordon for too long. Gordon’s status as a free agent should allow the Oklahoma senior to step right in and start firing away." 

ESPN.com (A minus): “The Pelicans filled two big needs in the draft. With Eric Gordon heading into free agency, they desperately needed a shooter and Hield gives them an elite one. His work ethic and leadership should make him a great fit in New Orleans. I preferred Jamal Murray for them because of his relative youth and versatility, but Hield was a very good option. And I really like Diallo at 33. He started the season ranked No. 11 on our Big Board, and had he stayed in school another year, I think he would've been a high pick next season. He's got one of the best motors in the draft. If he rebounds, defends and blocks, he can have a long career in the NBA. Anything he gives on offense is a bonus.”

BleacherReport.com (A minus): “Buddy Hield may be older (22) than many of the other top prospects in this draft, but he used his experience with the Oklahoma Sooners to develop into a dangerous scorer. The lanky shooting guard knocked down 50.1 percent of his shots from the field and 45.7 percent of his three-point attempts as a senior, all while scoring 25.0 points per game… The Pelicans traded Nos. 39 and 40 to move up to select Cheick Diallo, which is puzzling. Though the Kansas product is a legitimate first-rounder who was still on the board early in the second, New Orleans needs extra bodies at this point in the rebuilding process. Especially with so many key players hitting free agency, it could have used the additional pick.”

NBADraft.net (A minus): “A very sound draft for New Orleans. There was a lot of expectation that they would take Jamal Murray at 6 but that was generally under the assumption Buddy Hield would be gone. Well, Hield was not gone and the Pelicans snatched him up, and while some may think that Murray was the better fit, Hield brings a star power and dynamic scoring ability that Murray does not have. He should be an interesting fit with Anthony Davis and the rest of the solid pieces in the Pelicans’ starting lineup, and this very well could be the move that finally gets this franchise back in the playoffs. Additionally, they moved their two second round picks to get a first round talent in Cheick Diallo at 33. Diallo has a lot of potential as an athletic power forward, so I definitely like this move as well. He has far more upside than just about anyone they could have gotten at 39 or 40.”

FoxSports.com (A minus): “Hield is the type of player who should be able to step in and immediately get points in the NBA, while Diallo is a ‘hustle and energy’ guy who can help Davis on the boards. The Pelicans aren’t a true contender in the West yet (or anything close), but they took a step in the right direction.”

USAToday.com (B): “Hield was one of the best players in all of college basketball last season, but now comes a whole new test. He's a knock down shooter who can spread the floor for All-Star forward Anthony Davis, and his year-by-year improvements at Oklahoma are encouraging, but — behind guys like Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday — is he enough of an all-around talent to make an immediate impact for the lowly Pelicans?”

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Pelicans draft receives nearly straight As on Internet report cards

“Buddy Hield is tailor-made for Alvin Gentry’s offense. He’s going to be raining threes instantly. I love the pick,” CBS Sports Network host Adam Schein enthusiastically declared on his daily TV show Friday. “Teaming him with a freak like Anthony Davis? This is awesome. If you love basketball, if you love sports, you’ve got to love the Pelicans... This is going to be an incredible 1-2 punch for a long time in the NBA.”

Among the countless hours of post-draft analysis since Thursday’s 2016 NBA Draft, Schein may have been the most bombastic and adamant in his assessment of the brand-new “Buddy and Brow” duo, but he’s far from the only one who sees the potential for big things from the pair.

The 22-year-old Hield said that going into the draft, he wanted to be picked by New Orleans – as did his agent and most importantly, his mother – for a variety of reasons, but the presence of three-time All-Star Davis was at the top of the list.

“He’s a special talent,” Hield said of the 23-year-old Davis. “He’s a guy who can score the ball in a variety of ways. I just can’t wait to talk to him and learn from him. He’s going to be the guy to help him and space the floor for him and compete in the Western Conference.”

Hield met Davis for the first time Friday after an introductory press conference for Hield and second-round pick Cheick Diallo, with the players touring the Pelicans’ offices and practice facility in Metairie. Asked what Davis’ impressions were of the Hield addition, Gentry said, “I think he’s extremely excited. When you’re a big guy and you can stick a shooter out on the floor that creates spacing for you, I think he’d be extremely happy with it.”

Hield’s impressive 2015-16 senior season at Oklahoma was highlighted by him finishing second in NCAA Division I in scoring, averaging 25.0 points per game (he was tops among all players from major conferences). The native of the Bahamas also led the nation in three-pointers made in the regular season, with 127 in 32 games, an average of 4.0 per contest (via ESPN.com). He wasn’t just a high-volume gunner, either, knocking down a blistering 45.7 percent of his attempts.

The four-year college player seems to be an ideal fit to play for Gentry, whose Pelicans finished tied for 13th in three-point makes per game last season (8.6) despite rampant injuries, a notable jump from placing 19th (7.1) in 2014-15 and 29th (5.9) in 2013-14. Based on the considerable attention Davis draws as the focal point of the New Orleans offense, Hield could find plenty of breathing room to fire spot-up shots, his forte.

“The (Pelicans) get Hield, a star at Oklahoma, to pair with Anthony Davis,” CBSSports.com wrote in its post-draft report card. “He’ll help out immediately with his ability to space the floor and create jump shots and scoring opportunities. It’s not out of the question he wins Rookie of the Year in 2017.”

In terms of both on and off the court, Hield said he’s looking forward to gleaning advice from Davis, helping him make the adjustment to the NBA.

“I’m willing to learn and pick his brain a little bit,” Hield said of his fellow former Naismith Player of the Year. “He’s been in the league four years now, so he’s well-experienced. He’s a top-five player in the league, maybe soon-to-be MVP. I’m ready to learn from guys and follow his lead.

“Playing with a superstar like Anthony, and a three-point threat like me, it’s kind of hard to pick your poison. If he’s operating in the post, guys can’t double him. His ability to pick-and-pop, catch-and-shoot, that spreads the floor for everybody.”

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Anthony Davis-Buddy Hield pairing could become exciting inside-outside combination for Pelicans

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