New Orleans Pelicans Blog – Page 42 – NBA Blog

Eric Gordon may not play until later in preseason

New Orleans Pelicans fans will be watching closely throughout preseason to see how Monty Williams fills out his starting lineup and rotation, but it’s likely the first few games won’t provide a complete picture of his plans. On Tuesday, Williams told local reporters that shooting guard Eric Gordon is not expected to be able to play in an exhibition game for “about two weeks.” Gordon participated in practice but is being monitored as he progresses in his conditioning following offseason ankle surgery.

“He’s ramping up, getting his conditioning back, since he just got his release from the doctors,” Williams said. “He’s moving toward the type of conditioning he needs to be in. I don’t want him to go out there full bore and pull a hamstring or something, because he hasn’t been going (physically) as long as the other guys have.”

Reported by Jim Eichenhofer of the NBA.com Pelicans Blog

NBA owners expected to give Bobcats OK to change name to Charlotte Hornets

The NBA’s rubber stamp will hit the Charlotte Bobcats’ request for a name change to the Hornets at a Board of Governor’s meeting Thursday at the Wynn resort in Las Vegas.

The Bobcats technically need approval from a majority of the league’s other 29 teams to take on the name of Charlotte’s original NBA team. But it’s clear there won’t be resistance, after the New Orleans franchise gave up that nickname to be called the Pelicans.

Incoming NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said twice during visits to Charlotte that he is for this name change if Bobcats owner Michael Jordan wants it. And outgoing Commissioner David Stern advocated a name change, according to a source familiar with Stern’s thinking.

Reported by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer

Pelicans trade Robin Lopez to Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired center Robin Lopez and guard Terrel Harris from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for the draft rights to Jeff Withey, future second round draft considerations and cash, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey.

Lopez, 25, averaged career-highs of 11.3 points (53.4 FG%), 5.6 rebounds, 1.56 blocked shots and 26.0 minutes in 82 starts last season with New Orleans.

“Robin is a starting-caliber center coming off the best year of his career,” said Olshey. “He fills a void at a position we made a priority this offseason, and his size, ability to protect the rim and emerging offensive game are all key elements in achieving our goal of having more of a presence in the paint on both ends of the floor this season.”

Lopez (7-0, 255) holds career averages of 7.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 17.4 minutes over five seasons with New Orleans and Phoenix. He spent his first four years with the Suns after being drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft out of Stanford.

He will wear No. 42 for the Trail Blazers.

Harris, 25, played 20 games for Miami and New Orleans last season, posting averages of 0.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 6.9 minutes. Owning career averages of 2.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in two NBA seasons, Harris (6-4, 195) appeared in four postseason games for Miami during the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

Tyreke Evans says he wanted to stay with Kings

Tyreke Evans said it still hasn’t fully set in that at the start of his fifth NBA season he will not be a King.

His hope when free agency began July 1 was that he would reach an agreement to stay in Sacramento. Instead, Evans will head to New Orleans in a sign-and-trade on Wednesday, when the NBA moratorium on transactions is lifted.

“It’s been interesting just going through the process figuring out what was going to happen,” Evans said. “But at the end of the day, it was business. We (agent Arn Tellem and Evans’ family) did what was best for my career. We definitely wanted to stay in Sac, but that didn’t work out, so I have an opportunity to go to New Orleans.”

Evans will sign a four-year contract worth $44 million, the sum New Orleans offered him as a restricted free agent, and be dealt to the Pelicans in a three-team trade that will bring point guard Greivis Vasquez to Sacramento.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

NBA free agency: Pelicans meet with Tyreke Evans

NBA free agency began today, with negotiations now, and signings starting in nine days. And the Hornets — excuse me — the New Orleans Pelicans — immediately expressed interest in Tyreke Evans.

Kings guard Tyreke Evans, a restricted free agent, met with the New Orleans Pelicans in Los Angeles on Sunday night, shortly after the free-agency period opened at 9:01 p.m. PDT, The Bee has learned.

Evans’ agent, Arn Tellum, is based in Southern California.

The Kings extended a qualifying offer to Evans last week, worth $6.9 million for the upcoming season. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard can negotiate with other teams and sign an offer sheet, and the Kings have until July 10 to match an offer or negotiate a sign-and-trade deal. The Pelicans could send point guard Greivis Vasquez or shooting guard Eric Gordon.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/01/5536297/kings-notes-evans-meets-with-pelicans.html#mi_rss=Kings/NBA#storylink=cpy

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Eric Gordon has arthroscopic ankle surgery

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that guard Eric Gordon underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure yesterday in his left ankle to alleviate pain caused by particles of scar tissue. The procedure was performed by Dr. Richard Ferkel of the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles, CA.

Gordon is currently recovering from the procedure and will begin rehabilitation immediately while returning to basketball activities later in the summer.

According to the Associated Press, “Gordon missed the first two months of the 2012-13 season while recovering from a right knee injury, but still had the highest scoring average on the team after his return, with 17 points per game in 42 games. Gordon played in only nine games the previous season because of his knee injury, for which he also had arthroscopic surgery in February 2012. Last summer, he signed a four-year, $58 million contract.”

Hornets officially renamed the New Orleans Pelicans

Following last night’s final game of the 2012-13 season, the New Orleans Hornets officially took on the team’s new identity as the New Orleans Pelicans. The team will participate in its first NBA event as the Pelicans on May 21 at the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery.

“We have been looking forward to this day since we announced the Pelicans as the new name,” said Owner Tom Benson. “The Pelican is a symbol for our city and region and we’re excited to start a new era in Louisiana basketball history. This off-season is going to be a special time for the Pelicans.”

Benson announced on Jan. 24 that at the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, the name of the team will become the Pelicans, adopting an identity that will represent the culture and resolve of the Gulf Coast region while also symbolizing Louisiana’s most pressing initiative of coastal restoration and wildlife conservation. Benson introduced the team’s new logos, as well as color scheme, during the announcement.

The Pelicans’ colors are blue, gold and red. The team’s primary color, blue, is taken from Louisiana’s state flag. The Pelicans and Saints share the color gold, uniting the organizations, while celebrating the spirited life of New Orleans and its many celebrations (gold is also a commonly found color on the “crown” of the pelican). Red represents fraternity and is indicative of the blood provision of the mother pelican and the vibrant color underneath the pelican’s throat. All three colors are found on the flag of the City of New Orleans.

Kyrie Irving returns, but Cavs lose to Hornets

Kyrie Irving, the king of the fourth-quarter comeback, was back on Sunday. The fourth-quarter comeback was not.

Even with the All-Star point guard returning from his sprained left shoulder and playing for the first time in three weeks, the Cavaliers ran into their same old problem in the third quarter and lost to the Hornets at New Orleans Arena, 112-92.

Irving missed eight games with the injury suffered on March 10 in Toronto, and he led the Cavs with 31 points in 28:40 on Sunday. But he didn’t have enough help and the Cavs fell to 22-50 as their longest losing streak of the season reached eight games. Greivis Vasques had 25 points and Ryan Anderson added 23 for New Orleans, 26-48.

— Reported by Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Irving was announced as a surprise return less than two hours prior to the game, but he couldn’t help a defense that was beaten badly in transition and around the perimeter. The Hornets made 12 of 21 3-pointers and scored 19 fast break points, a rarity against a Cavs team that typically gives up few points on the break.

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal

Remaining schedule looks tough for Hornets

Of the 14 remaining games this season, 11 come against teams that are playoff-locks or opponents on the fringe (Lakers, Utah, ) with attainable post-season aspirations.

“It’s not an easy stretch, but it’s the type of challenge you want,” Mason said. “For us, I think it will be a good measure of where our heart is at and how we compete going into next season.

“We have to learn. Obviously this has been a tough stretch here. No one is going to come to save us. It’s going to come (from) within. I think we have a resilient group. I’m excited about these next few games to see how we respond. It’s always run to see how things go when there’s a challenge ahead. And we have a challenge ahead right now, but I think we’ll be OK.”

The biggest challenge for the Hornets, though, will be to rediscover how to play defense.

— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Hornets continue to struggle defensively despite extra work

There are 16 games remaining in the regular season and it doesn’t appear the New Orleans Hornets are any closer to solving their glaring defensive problems than they were two months ago.

It hasn’t mattered how long Hornets Coach Monty Williams puts his team through video sessions to go over mistakes or have walk-through practices or shootarounds to emphasize specific defensive assignments, it’s still not carrying over into games. The Hornets continue to struggle with their defensive rotations that causes them to give up too many open shots on the perimeter and drives into the lane that leads to layups or dunks.

“We’ve had a number of breakdowns and that falls square on my shoulders,’’ Williams said. “I have to get guys in the game who want to compete for 48 minutes. There is no margin for error with this team, especially when you have lost guys like Jason Smith (injured) and you don’t have experience.’’

— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune