Among all the teams that missed the playoffs last season, one could argue that the New Orleans Pelicans will be under the most pressure over the upcoming 2021 NBA free agency period.

The Pelicans ran out one of the more promising offensive units in all of basketball last season, with stars Zion Williamson (27.0 points per game) and Brandon Ingram (23.8 points per game) leading the way. However, their sluggish play on the defensive end proved to be the deciding factor in the team missing out on a top-10 finish in the Western Conference.

Now, Pelicans general manager David Griffin will be under scrutiny in the coming month as he aims to surround Williamson and Ingram with key role players who can help the team take the next step in the West.

The Pelicans' main storyline in the upcoming free agency period will revolve around just who will be the team's starting point guard next season. The Pelicans have extended a qualifying offer sheet to point guard Lonzo Ball, although the team has been linked with a potential move for Kyle Lowry.

If New Orleans does end up keeping Ball for the long term, then the team will then have to look for key available role players, which could include these three talents.

Doug McDermott

Out of the teams that ranked in the top 10 last season in points per game, the Pelicans had the lowest 3-point field goal percentage (34.8 percent), which certainly became concerning over time for the front office.

The Pelicans could certainly bolster their shooting from beyond the arc by signing impending free agent Doug McDermott.

Last season was not McDermott's best campaign in the NBA by any means. He shot 38.8 percent from 3-point land last season, which is a notable drop from when he posted a career-high 43.5 percent 3-point field goal percentage over the 2019-2020 campaign.

Still, the Pelicans need any help that they can get to revamp their putrid 3-point shooting, and McDermott would fit the bill with such a role. He is a potent floor spacer and can well pick his spots out from beyond the arc, which would provide the Pelicans' main ball-handler with a last resort option when in a half-court setting.

More so, McDermott would certainly thrive in the Pelicans' offense as an off-ball threat, such as in catch-and-shoot situations.

If the Pelicans can find a bargain deal with Doug McDermott in the $8-9 million range, then the team should certainly look to haul him in on such an agreement.

Danny Green

The 2021 NBA free agency class is filled with formidable 3-point shooters, including Danny Green.

The 3-time NBA champion is coming off of one roller-coaster season with the Philadelphia 76ers, which culminated in a playoff run marred by injuries and vast struggles from 3-point land.

Still, Green's prowess as a 3-point shooter was well evident last season, which included shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc in catch-and-shoot situations. In essence, Green is one of the more streaky shooters in the NBA today, as he is a player who can knock down consecutive 3-point shots and follow it up with a cold streak of multiple misses in a row.

Danny Green may command a higher average annual value deal than other pure shooters in this free agency class. But if Griffin can persuade Green to buy into the Pelicans' project and possibly have him agree to take up some playing time minutes off the bench, then the Pelicans should certainly go all out to sign him to a multiyear deal.

Avery Bradley

The Pelicans would not solve their 3-point shooting woes with a possible addition of veteran guard Avery Bradley. Still, one can not go wrong with a durable guard who is not one to shy away from defensive assignments against the best scoring guards in the league.

With both the Miami Heat and Houston Rockets last season, Bradley was not at his usual best on the defensive side of the ball. He posted a staggering 50.5 defended field goal percentage, which was up from his previous season while with the Los Angeles Lakers (42.0 percent).

Bradley still has plenty of value as an on-ball defender, from his ability to create turnovers to simply understanding defensive assignments on a possession-by-possession basis.

This would be a low-risk, high-reward move for the Pelicans, as Bradley could possibly settle for a veteran minimum deal following his lowly half-season run with the Rockets.

As mentioned, this would not be a move that would help to revamp the Pelicans' defensive output from their backcourt, but signing Bradley could certainly bolster the backend of their depth chart.