Re-Building the New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans are re-building themselves in a very unique way

By Jeremy Conlin   @jeremy_conlin

Here are the facts:

•    The New Orleans Pelicans (formerly the Hornets) traded the rights to Nerlens Noel and a 2014 first-round pick (with top-5 protection) to Philadelphia for Jrue Holiday.

•    The New Orleans Pelicans (still formerly the Hornets) signed Tyreke Evans to a 4-year, $44 million offer sheet. In the subsequent sign-and-trade agreement with Sacramento (Evans’ former team) and Portland (a cooperating 3rd party), New Orleans surrendered Robin Lopez and Greivis Vasquez (two serviceable starters).

Eight Weird Moments from The 2013 NBA Draft

The Cavaliers surprised everyone by taking Anthony Bennett with the first overall pick (flickr)

By Jeremy Conlin

Here are eight of the weirdest moments from the weirdest NBA draft I can remember:

1. The Cavaliers select Anthony Bennett first overall

All day and in the week leading up, the Cavs had been engaging in some savvy misinformation. Various reports were getting leaked that they were either shopping the pick (to Minnesota, Portland, New Orleans, to name three) or that they were still undecided who they were going to take if they kept the pick.

2013 Normative Mock Draft

I know it's not 2006, don't send me angry mail.

By Jeremy Conlin

In economic terms, a normative statement expresses a judgment of something that ought to be. This is different from a positive statement, which concerns what is, was, or will be, with no expression of approval or disapproval.

For example (and I'll put this in basketball terms so it will hopefully be easier to understand), "Ray Allen makes a high percentage of his three-point attempts" is a positive statement. It simply describes a part of reality as it exists. Conversely, "Ray Allen should attempt more three-point shots" is a normative statement.

Most mock drafts are based on positive statements, with information gleamed from various sources in front offices and scouting staffs. I have no interest in assembling a mock draft this way. This is partly because I have no sources of my own, so the only information I'd be able to offer would be akin to throwing darts at a draft board and hoping I hit the right names.

So I'm ditching that idea. I'm doing a normative mock draft. I am not concerned at all with who the teams are rumored to pick, I only care about two things - what the pressing need(s) of the team is, and how various players address those needs.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Need: Rim protection, rebounding, wing depth

This one is pretty easy - Cleveland needs shotblocking and rebounding, and the presumed best player in the draft is a shotblocker and rebounder (and could develop into a nice pick-and-roll partner for Kyrie Irving).

The Pick: Nerlens Noel; F/C; Kentucky

Taking You To School Podcast: NBA Finals & NBA Draft

Is Victor Oladipo a future star?

By SuiteSports Staff 

This week on "Taking You To School," Joe and Jeremy recap the crazy NBA Finals. Was this the best Finals series ever? And how weird was it that every game seemed to have a new player stepping up? Also, what's next for the Heat and the Spurs - will they be back next year?

Also this week, a preview of the NBA draft. Joe and Jeremy discuss Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, Otto Porter, Victor Oladipo, Trey Burke, Anthony Bennett, and Alex Len. Who is the safest pick? And who has the most upside? All that and more on this week's episode.

Listen to internet radio with Real Fans Sports Radio on BlogTalkRadio

Pre-Combine NBA Mock Draft

(Editor's Note: The following mock draft is a joint venture between SuiteSports.com's Jeremy Conlin and RoundballDaily.com's Kels Dayton. If you don't know about RoundballDaily, you need to axe somebody. 

Well, since you axed, it is one of the best hoops blogs on the net run by our buddy Kels (who chats with us every week on our "Taking You to School" podcast). RoundballDaily tackles college and pro hoops, all with a sense of humor and appreciation of the game. -Joe)

By Kels Dayton and Jeremy Conlin

(Additional Editor's Note: My only contribution to this entire process was convincing Kels that Cleveland would take Otto Porter over Anthony Bennett at #3. Seriously, that's it. But my name is on the byline for some reason. Take it up with Joe if you don't like it. -Jeremy)

Mothers sobbing hysterically!! Giant teenagers in expensive suits!! Awkward handshakes with Commissioner Stern!! It can only mean one thing…the NBA Draft! We spoke to scouts, coaches, trainers and agents to come up with this, the most accurate mock draft you'll find anywhere from year to year. Picks, of course, are subject to change, but here's a pre-combine, pre-lottery look at what each team might do. Official draft lottery will be set on May 21.  

1. Orlando- Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky. Noel is probably the best talent in the draft and should go No. 1 no matter who wins the lottery because big men like him are hard to find. He is a freakish athlete and defensive dynamo, and has small forward-speed.  

The NBA's Age Limit Doesn't Even Make Sense for the NBA Anymore

Nerlens Noel's torn ACL served as a reminder to many of the stupidity of the NBA's age limit.

By Joe Parello

Kentucky freshman sensation Nerlens Noel tore his ACL in Tuesday night's big game against Florida, and with that ligament likely went the Wildcats' chance to make a run in March.

But, more importantly, it got people talking about the NBA's age limit, or what sports fans casually call the "one and done rule."

To enter the NBA Draft, you have to be 19-years old, or out of high school for at least one year. On its face, that seems like an arbitrary number. In the United States, where all but one of the NBA's 30 teams reside, you become a legal adult when you turn 18. You then become a "real" legal adult when you turn 21 and can consume alcohol, but that's neither here nor there.

So why, in a nearly entirely American professional sports league, do we choose the age of 19, and not 18 or 21?