New Orleans Hornets

Denver hired Tim Connelly, 36, to lead its basketball operations on Monday. Connelly was New Orleans' assistant general manager under Dell Demps.

Nerlens Noel took 32% of the first place vote yesterday to claim the #1 overall spot on our Draft Big Board. The runners up were split pretty evenly, so today's second place contest should be pretty interesting indeed. Same rules as yesterday and as always: vote for who you think the Pelicans should take at #2, not necessarily who the second best player is. Here are our BKAPs on the relevant players: Better Know a Prospect: Ben McLemore, G, KansasBetter Know a Prospect: Otto Porter, F, GeorgetownBetter Know a Prospect: Victor Oladipo, G, IndianaBetter Know a Prospect: Trey Burke, G, MichiganBetter Know a Prospect: Alex Len, C, Maryland Poll With the 2nd pick in the 2013 @tH Draft, I select... Ben McLemore, G Otto Porter, F Trey Burke, G Alex Len, C Victor Oladipo, G Anthony Bennett, F 2 votes | Results

It's a distinct possibility that three of the top five or six players in this year's draft will have missed, through injury, both the NBA Draft Combine as well as individual team workouts. But while fellow center Nerlens Noel seems to be a near-consensus #1 pick regardless, Alex Len appears to have a slightly less predictable future. Draft Express currently has him in their #4 slot to the Charlotte Bobcats, but it'll be interesting to see if that holds as individual workouts and interviews continue. Bio: Len was born in Ukraine in 1993. He played for the Ukrainian national team as a teenager, participating in the 2010 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, where he led all players in blocked shots and offensive rebounds (he finished second in overall rebounds, trailing current Raptor Jonas Valanciunas). Originally recruited to Maryland in 2011 by Gary Williams, Len completed his move over under new head coach Mark Turgeon. Len's freshman year was watched relatively closely since international scouts, and while he showed flashes, his season was disappointing overall. As a sophomore though, Len made an impact immediately, dominating top recruit Nerlens Noel in the season opener with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks. From there, his season progressed nicely, the hype growing accordingly. Stats: Len had a terrific season on the offensive glass, pulling down 4.2 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes pace-adjusted. That ranks 6th in Draft Express' database for 2013. Impressively, Len was able to convert his offensive rebounding ability into easy put back attempts. Len wasn't terrible on the defensive end either, finishing at 7.3 defensive rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted. It's of course a bit difficult to tell what this really means at the collegiate level. That rate was good for 20th in the NCAA, but at the same time, Len finished with the exact same defensive rebound rate as shooting guard prospect Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and at 0.4 higher than Cody Zeller, who's frequently dogged for a lack of rebounding ability. Len's rates from the field were certainly adequate; 69% from the free throw line and 55% from the floor (as well as 36% on jumpers) suggest that Len has good touch both around the hoop and from some range. His overall efficiency figures are similarly impressive (115 points per 100 possessions and a 24.7 PER) though his usage was very low (15%). Defensively, Len's 3.0 blocks per 40 minutes ranks among the country's best, and as a sophomore, he improved his turnover rate significantly (0.15 from 0.25 as a freshman). Skills: Len's most important skill is his size; the fact that he's so quick, so coordinated, and frequently, so explosive out of his 7'1", 255 lb, 7'3.5" wingspanned frame is remarkable. In many ways, it's a quality he shares with one of my favorite 2012 prospects Andre Drummond. Few players at this size can move their feet this well, and that's obviously something that has huge ramifications on the defensive end of the ball. It's a shame that Len wasn't able to participate in combine drills; his lane agility in particular would've been an interesting measurement to see. Because of his size, strength, and quickness, Len's defensive potential is enormous. While he's probably a better help than iso defender at this point, his recovery ability in one-on-one situations is already impressive. A Len-Anthony Davis defensive front court would seem to have great promise. Offensively, Len finishes extremely aggressively at times, dunking over defenders effortlessly and using his footwork to move through the paint without ever putting the ball on the floor. He keeps the ball high and has shown the ability to fake out defenders simply through his footwork. The aggressiveness is certainly not a trait universally on display, but when the effort is there, Len has a gear that most bigs simply do not. Conclusions: Len may prove to be the 2013 draft's Damian Lillard, rocketing up draft boards over the past month. W

The NBA Finals continue to follow the theme of “Revenge is the word” as the Spurs took the heart right out of Miami with a barrage of rim attacks and splashes from the deep. The Spurs executed the Heat Sunday night. What Happened? The Spurs simply spanked the Heat 114-104 in a game where the Spurs starters were terrific Leonard had 16 plus 8 rebounds Ginobili dropped 24 and 10 assists, was superb as a starter Duncan 17 and 12 rebs Green went nuts for 24 and 6 rebounds (6/10 3pt FG) Parker had 26 Other Numbers 50 points in the lane The starters shot at a 63.9% clip ZERO lead changes Game Turned Green Danny Green is shooting the 3-ball at the insane rate of 25/38! That’s 65.8% His ability to make 3′s is causing all kinds of problems for the Miami defense, as he is forcing them to spread and chase… Plus give Green credit for getting to his spots and moving without the ball… His mates are finding him quickly… Credit Coach Popovich for having faith in him and telling him to shoot when he has it but also reminding him to make sure he gets every loose ball in his area Spurs Haymakers When it was 75-74 Spurs with 3 minutes left in the 3rd, the Spurs scored 21 points in their next 12 possessions while Miami scored just 2 in their first 12 trips… That 21-2 run was a body cruncher… All in all it took 6:17 when you consider the early stages of the 4th… During that run, the Heat were 0-9 and had only 1 offensive rebound… James went scoreless during that run! The Spurs closed out the 1st quarter with a 15-2 run The 11 for 23 3pt FG attack was deadly Spurs are 14 of 31 shooting the corner 3-ball, 45% in the series Mario Chalmers & Norris Cole Were Boiled Tony Parker feasted on both Cole and Chalmers… Parker scored 26 and all of his scores vs the Heat were within 9 ft of the rim… He simply wrecked anyone the Heat put on him… LeBron James was assigned to him late in the game but it was not a factor During a 10-0 run in the game while Cole was assigned to Parker, Parker scored 7 of the 10 points and had 1 assist Chalmers shot 2/10 and Cole bagged a “0″ 2nd Half Blues LeBron James shot 2/11 in the 2nd half Bosh: 6 points, 1 rebound in the 2nd half Call Me Boris! Lets not ignore the fact that Boris Diaw did a nice defensive job vs LeBron James… There was a sequence where James went “face up” vs Diaw… In 4 attempts James only scored 1 point… Diaw did a nice job Miami Defense Went Where? Poor work locating Green Late closeouts Allowed 50 points in the lane Lost a 32-19 1st quarter Spurs ripped the Heat ‘off the dribble” Help defenders left the building Spurs shredded the Heat Boring? I almost explode with belly laughs as some people still say that the Spurs are a boring team… That conversation doesn’t warrant any more lung time from me as I never agreed with that. Watching the Spurs play is by no means boring. How one can swallow that bogus description is beyond my comprehension. Which Miami? Miami has not won two games in a row in 12 Post Season games… Remember this is the team that had won 27 games in a row during the regular season. Can they win two in a row at home to win the Title? Game #6 will be a game that will leave flesh under the fingernails as the Spurs can close it out sending Miami into the abyss or the Heat can extend a lifeline and force a Game #7 on their home floor. Allow me to paint the picture this way: The Heat are sitting in the chair while the warden stands by the phone waiting for the possible call that grants Miami one more shot at survival. The Heat know all it takes is one nod from the Warden and the switch gets pulled. Miami dies, and the Spurs would win the Ring. I selected the Spurs when the season started, and, of course, one must be true to his word. To lose Game #6 at home would strip Miami of all its credibility. Spurs in 7 Ger

Welcome to the At the Hive Community Pelicans Draft Board! In what's become something of an annual tradition since the departure of David West, we turn now to what you, the readers, deem to be the most estimable methods for the franchise to proceed. As with last year, we'll go through each draft selection spot (up to about 10), hold a poll on who should be chosen there, and you'll have the opportunity to explain your pick in the comments and lobby for future picks. Our critically acclaimed Better Know a Prospect series will be making some appearances to augment whatever selection spot we happen to be on. We'll begin today with the #1 overall selection on our Big Board. Keep in mind that this isn't a mock draft. Vote for who you'd select for the Hornets at #1. But also keep in mind that draft prospect value can certainly be a consideration; even if you strongly feel that, say, Nerlens Noel, would be a horrible fit, let's keep his general league valuation, potential for trades for different pieces, and so forth in mind. Personally, I'd take Noel here on that basis alone (though I also happen to think Noel paired with Davis would be fantastic in its own right). Feel free to explain why you picked your player in the comments, and here are some BKAPs to aid in your decision: Better Know a Prospect: Nerlens Noel, C, KentuckyBetter Know a Prospect: Ben McLemore, G, KansasBetter Know a Prospect: Otto Porter, F, GeorgetownBetter Know a Prospect: Victor Oladipo, G, IndianaBetter Know a Prospect: Trey Burke, G, Michigan Poll With the 1st pick in the 2013 @tH Draft, I select... Nerlens Noel, C Ben McLemore, G Otto Porter, F Victor Oladipo, G Trey Burke, G 1 votes | Results

Bio - Anthony Bennett was born on March 14, 1993 to a single mother who worked two jobs in Toronto. He was a McDonald's All-American in high school and decided to sign with UNLV. In his freshman year, he racked up gaudy offensive statistics and was nominated for the Naismith Award. He plays internationally for the Canadian team and won consecutive bronze medals in the U-16 and U-17 FIBA World Championships. Offense - Bennett garners attention due largely to his combination of size, athleticism, and shooting ability. While measuring 6'7" and weighing 240 lbs, he can run a fast break and shoot threes (over 38% from beyond the arc). He had an exceptionally efficient season on the offensive end, racking up a 27.6 PER while logging a 58% effective field goal percentage. He has good form on his jumpers, and there's little variation from shot to shot. He can create his own shot, but is definitely more comfortable shooting jumpers and attacking the basket than playing with his back to the rim. He has little in the way of post moves and can't carve out position on the low block. His biggest offensive concern is his shot selection - he has a tendency to live on the perimeter and chuck threes - if he had better shot selection, he easily could have shot in the 40 percent range in college. In particular, he has a tendency to take contested three pointers early in the shot clock, often when an extra pass could yield a better look for a teammate. Defense - In the NBA, Anthony Bennett might be impossible to hide on defense. As a post defender, he's weak and undersized, even though he has an impressive 7'1" wingspan. He easily gives up position in the low post, often times being backed down under the hoop. As a pick and roll defender, he doesn't keep his arms up and takes his time to recover back to his man. While defending the perimeter, he lacks the lateral quickness to stay in front of college players. When closing out jump shooters, he lacks urgency and sometimes fails to put his hand up. And most damningly, he fails to hustle in transition, often loping back on defense after a missed field goal attempt. Either guarding power forwards or small forwards in the NBA, his level of intensity and physicality that he showed in college will get him burned. Overall - Due to his lack of size and physical presence, it's easy to imagine Bennett sliding to small forward, especially on a Pelicans team that is stacked at power forward. As an offensive player, he would be a clear upgrade from Al-Farouq Aminu from the start, able to shoot efficiently as well as dribble. On defense, he projects to be a significant liability, however, and it's not certain how well he could transition to generating shots against quicker, more athletic defenders.

Ben McLemore landing in New Orleans next week would ostensibly require (a) a draft day stock drop similar to the one Thomas Robinson suffered a year ago and (b) a suspension or, at the very least, some mild dilution of the Eric Gordon experiment. Of late, an increasing number of mocks have suggested it as a possibility. Bio: Ben McLemore was born in 1993 in St. Louis, Missouri. Skilled at basketball from a young age, McLemore attended three different high schools in three different states before rising to national prominence while at Christian Life Center in Texas. Eventually recruited to Kansas, the combination of McLemore's varied high school record coupled with academic eligibility issues forced him to miss the entirety of his freshman season. Kansas did allow him to practice with the team during his second semester, but McLemore wouldn't make his debut until fall of 2012, as a redshirt freshman. On the strength of his first season, he quickly rocketed up from late first-round projection to top-5 talent. Stats: Shooting stands out immediately -- McLemore converted on 87% of his free throws and 42% of his threes, and it's easy to see where the Ray Allen comparisons derive from (even if the comparison of a college player to Ray Allen is a little misguided). Kansas certainly took advantage of this, bring him off screens and curls, though McLemore was a lot less successful in off-the-dribble situations. His success from the line and beyond the arc translated into remarkable overall efficiency; his 1.20 points/possession mark ranks among the top figures for top lottery prospects, and coupled with close to 20% usage, McLemore played a strong offensive role for one of the country's top offenses. But given his relative inability to manufacture his own shots, it's clear that Bill Self's* system played a big part in creating that impressive efficiency mark. *Bill Self smells like eggs. McLemore's 4.7 defensive rebounds per 40 min. (pace adjusted) shows potential for future development in the area, and his 0.16 turnover rate isn't too shabby given the usage rate; again though, the issue of Self's system is a creeping one that simply can't be dissociated from McLemore's actual abilities. Skills: McLemore carries arguably two plus NBA skills into the draft -- shooting and athleticism. While his wingspan measurement at last month's combine wasn't ridiculous (6'7.75"), his 42" max vertical gives credence to the idea that he can develop into a lethal finisher in the lane. Whether he'll be able to get into the lane consistently without another guard creating for him is another question altogether, but even in recent NBA seasons, we've seen players like Paul George develop dribbling games significantly after entering the league. McLemore's defensive potential is undeniable. He moves his feet well, is relatively strong, and should be long enough to deal with bigger NBA shooting guards. It feels like a number of this draft's top tier players project to be 3-and-D types, which is somewhat depressing, but at the same time, a really great 3-and-D player can be a critical 3rd piece; McLemore can certainly be that player. Conclusion: I'd be surprised at this stage if McLemore actually dropped down to the 6th pick, but the draft is obviously an inexact science. If the Pelicans do have a decision to make with McLemore on the board, it could well prove to be a referendum on the Eric Gordon era.

Some news for Monday: - Per The Business Journals, the New Orleans Arena will soon be receiving a new video board: Panasonic Eco Solutions North America announces that it will provide a new 360-degree LED video /ribbon display at New Orleans Arena. The new display will be approximately 924 feet long by 1.6 feet high and will be located in the center area between the seating levels. The installation project is expected to be completed by the end of July. The high-definition display will be installed in the upper fascia of the arena and will be used to interact with and engage the audience through programming that will include local and national sponsor messages, audience participation features and game highlights. The system will be installed by a local contractor, Citadel Builders, L.L.C., the general contractor for the project. By integrating the display with the legacy control system, the LED boards can be synchronized with the existing displays in the arena for a richer fan experience. - The Advocate's Ted Lewis writes about how Pelicans ownership is opting to play the long game with Monty Williams and Dell Demps. - Also from the Advocate, it appears the Pelicans are continuing to scout in Europe despite Dario Saric's decision to drop out of the 2013 NBA Draft. - Finally: I missed Jim Eichenhofer's recap of draft lottery day from a couple weeks ago, but it's a good read.

The New Orleans Athletic Club, the second oldest health club in the US, is losing sacrificing its basketball court (pictured above) in order to provide other equipment upgrades. The NOAC is a private institution, beholden to its owners and members, but it its historic status makes it of interest to some of the the larger populace. Merely being established in 1872 makes neither the building at 222 N. Rampart nor the firm itself historic, but the Earl K. Long Library at the University of New Orleans has a special collection based on the club, so there’s something there. Slow, continual erosion of the things that “have always been” leads to a quiet, or not so quiet, destruction, as those in Southeast Louisiana and the surrounding areas know well. Will the removal of this court end all basketball in New Orleans? No, of course not. It is, nevertheless, a leading athletic club, a prestigious one with a clientele that has a large amount of aggregate power around New Orleans, and they are just fine with losing their historic, proper court. Well, some of them are. It goes to show that while the New Orleans Pelicans have a solid lease until 2024, a date that seems seems so far away, there are currents that threaten the love and importance of the game that has a long history here. Below is an email summarizing the NOAC’s choices in its own words, followed by a petition started by members urging the Club to reconsider. Bourbon Street Shots takes no position in this matter, and I am most certainly not a member of the NOAC. This is simply a report stating background and two positions on a story from the participants. The interest for the site, and perhaps to the readers, is a figurative `temperature check’ of what sort of obstacles the Pelicans may be facing in the coming years. The organization does, after all, go through efforts to partner with sponsors to refurbish courts (and football fields!), but here is a perfectly functional court with perhaps some measure of significance beyond that of a typical court that is just simply viewed as no better than the second best option for this Club. There is no clear solution problem, but maybe readers, the Pelicans, or some of their sponsors will be able to think of something to benefit all parties. From the NOAC: June 11, 2013 Dear Members, We hope you have all had the opportunity to enjoy the new equipment that was brought in over the last few weeks! We have heard MANY favorable responses, and for that we thank you! Our goal at the NOAC is to constantly progress, and stay ahead of the industry by offering THE BEST and most progressive equipment and programming the industry has to offer! We will come one step closer to our goal in the upcoming weeks with the addition of our NEW, HIGH ENERGY, DYNAMAX ENERGY CENTER at the NOAC. We will transform the NOAC basketball court into the most comprehensive, state of the art functional training facility the city has to offer! We will be adding 20 new pieces of THE MOST versatile, and challenging cardio equipment that is available today! We will also be adding a plate loaded strength equipment line by HOIST, a vertical max trainer, (2) K 1 Kinesis functional training stations, a 3-kick agility and speed station, a SYNERGY 360 XL mega station complete with kettle bells, ropes, TRX, rebounders, cross fit type activities, an Olympic platform with bumper plates, a full power cage with platform and band pegs, and best of all, a TURF FIELD application that will allow for thousands of functional training opportunities with sled pulls, cone drills, band drills, and any training you can imagine! And we will provide EVERYTHING you need in this very room! We will also add a stretch rack manufactured by TRUE, THE best on the market! All we need from YOU is your energy and enthusiasm about this project, and most of all to ENJOY IT as we couldn’t do it without you! We will continue to offer basketball, by providing the basketb

Well now isn’t this something? The margins for the first 4 games in the NBA Finals are as follows: 4, 19, 36, 16 Neither team has lost a back to back in the series… Once again I am providing you with some conversational material to insure that you will not lack for meaty chit-chat over the weekend. While You Wait for Your Table Why did the Heat hammer the Spurs in Game #4? Because LeBron James scored 33 pts and had 11 rebs… Dwyane Wade went nuts for 32 and Chris Bosh dropped 20 and secured 13 rebs… The Trio shot 37/64 57.8% In the final 8:46 of the game, the trio scored 25 of the Heats’ 28 pts… Their total point production of 85 pts was the most they combined for in a playoff game. The Heat defense played with the understanding that they were cornered rats awaiting execution if they lost this game… They forced 19 turnovers for 23pts Better work at the point of attack Help defenders+rotations were crisp and quick “Help the helper” defenders were also on red alert All three layers of their defense were zoned into the kill. White You’re Now Seated at Your Table What happened to Tony Parker in the 2nd half? Miami located him early, and the help defenders worked in taking away those driving lanes Parker’s hammy denied him those “live hops”… Leg fatigue set in Lane space evaporated when it mattered… Alert Miami defenders As You Pass the Bread and Order an Appetizer Was it just Parker’s poor 2nd half that hurt the Spurs? No, the Spurs could only score ONCE in their first 9 possessions of the 4th quarter They shot 5 for 15 in the 4th and had 7 turnovers Plus remember the Trio went nuts in the final 8:46 of the 4th, scoring 25 of the 28 final points… Wham! The Waiter is Standing by the Table Waiting to Take Your Order and Says . . . “… Also, gentlemen, you realize that Miami was 24/37 for 65% in shot attempts below the broken line, 37 of their 85 FG attempts for the game were below the broken line!” … You now realize that he just earned a bigger tip as that was one gem of a stat. Miami knew they had to attack the rim with more aggression, and they did They attacked early in their offense off the dribble and with slashers Rebounding kept the ball alive We made the point in an earlier post that the Heat like to run off turnovers, and Wade and LeBron got out in the open floor off the team defense Miami won the 2nd half 60-44… Remember it was tied at the half 49-49 You Both Order the Filet Miami attempted 15 more shots in the game! That must worry the Spurs right? Misleading stat! Yes, Miami was +15 in shot attempts, but, remember, the Spurs got to the FT Line 31 times… The Spurs were +14 in FT attempts… when fouled during a shot attempt, that doesn’t go in the box score as a shot attempt, so the stat can fool you… Spurs were 23 of 31 ft’s. The Spurs shot 19/43 “shots in the Lane”… 24 misses in this area… Miami won the Lane 50-38. Dinner Arrives! Your Spurs better win game 5 or its lights out for them in Miami! You gracefully put your napkin down and finish chewing that delightful piece of steak in your mouth and lay this gem of a stat on your Miami fan dinner partner… “In the Five Finals that the Spurs have played in, they have out scored their opponent by +40pts… 124-84… when the margin was 5 pts or less and 5 or less minutes to play” You conclude your comment with a casual smile and propose a toast… Your friend has no comeback. Both of you agree the series is totally nuts. You pass on the dessert tray. You Leave a Nice Tip How can you forget and not appreciate that great stat the waiter gave you earlier? You can’t. You venture into the night… The conversation continues… “So what do we do with the 6th pick?” ENJOY Game #5!… Spurs bounce back… Miami won’t dup