The Bird Writes Podcast, Ep. 17: A smorgasbord of New Orleans Pelicans preseason discussion

Trevor Ritchie and I are back with analysis of New Orleans Pelicans Media Day, top-100 NBA player rankings from ESPN and Sports Illustrated, Anthony Davis’ change in representation and the first two preseason games (vs Bulls, Hawks) of the schedule.

From Media Day, we go in-depth on the new additions of Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton, the confidence exhibited by Davis and Jrue Holiday, and the future of Frank Jackson. We also discuss the team’s potential to lead the league in pace, especially if they play as fast as coach Alvin Gentry intends.

Anthony Davis is a top player in the league, but how exactly do we feel about where he stands in the ESPN and SI rankings? Did Jrue Holiday get terribly underrated? How important are the other top 100 guys, Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic?

New Orleans lost its first two preseason games, 128-116 to Chicago and 116-102 to Atlanta. Although the losses don’t mean much at this junction of the season, the injuries to Jahlil Okafor, Julius Randle and Frank Jackson revive concerns that are very real. We talk about their status and what we look forward to in the remainder of the preseason before opening night on Oct. 17.