Pelicans' Failed Free Agent Pursuit Highlights Misguided Priorities

The New Orleans Pelicans have yet to make a single addition to their roster. The team that finished last season 26-56 is intact, giving very little hope to the fanbase. The worst part of it all is that the front office doesn't seem to understand what this team needs.

On Monday, once it was reported that the Los Angeles Lakers were signing 24-year-old forward Ziaire Williams, The Athletic's Dan Woike said that the Pelicans were also interested in him. Per Woike, "New Orleans had made a push in recent days" to sign Williams, but the former tenth-overall pick wanted to play for his hometown team in LA.

The fact that the Pelicans were interested in Williams for their final open roster spots speaks volumes about the front office. Of all the remaining free agents, targeting Williams makes very little sense.

Pelicans' Offseason Plan Makes No Sense

The former Grizzlies forward has decent physical and athletic tools. He is a decent defender who can make an impact off the bench. The problem is, he is a below-average shooter and a limited offensive player. He has struggled with efficiency and has been a career 32.2% shooter from downtown. Last season, he had almost as many turnovers as assists.

While this player type can be useful for a team like the Lakers, who desperately need perimeter defenders, it's the last thing the Pelicans need. New Orleans is already one of the worst-shooting teams in the league and can't afford to have more poor shooters on the perimeter who will create spacing issues.

What the Pelicans need instead is a big man. Besides Yves Missi, there isn't a center who is expected to get minutes in the rotation. And Missi is undersized for his position and doesn't provide much strength and physicality. He is better suited to be the backup center.

Instead of using their limited resources to acquire another center, the Pelicans are seemingly looking to add to their wing rotation.

On the surface, this may seem like a minor issue. It is, especially since they didn't even end up signing Williams.

It's just that there have been way too many minor head-scratching things this front office has done. Whether it's the ridiculous two-year deal for DeAndre Jordan, the Jordan Poole-CJ McCollum swap, or picking up Jordan Hawkins' fourth-year option, there have been too many small mistakes that have ended up costing the Pelicans.

Here, they were saved by the Lakers, which was a more appealing landing spot for Williams. Unfortunately, however, it still highlights a lack of understanding of the team's needs, which is deeply concerning at this point in the offseason.