New Orleans Pelicans big man Derrick Favors is going to be one busy man in the upcoming offseason. The 6-foot-9 center/forward is on the final year of his current deal with the team, and will enter free agency at the end of this season.
For their part, the Pelicans will have a big decision to make on Favors. He arrived in New Orleans last summer, and has not been with the team for a considerable amount of time — especially once you factor in the hiatus. Then again, the front office have probably seen enough of what Favors brings to the table to make a decision on his future with the squad.
Averaging 9.2 points (on 62.0 percent shooting), 9.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 blocks in 24.2 minutes of action as the team's starting center, Favors has been a crucial piece for the Pelicans and their mediocre season thus far. He is a tested veteran, and his head-down type of play appears to be a perfect fit to a Pelicans team that is not short on big-name players. Nevertheless, it appears that at this point, the Pelicans' best decision would be to let Favors walk in the offseason. Below are three compelling reasons why.
The Evolution of the Game
Favors' main strengths lie in his defense. Despite being undersized, he is a tenacious rebounder that always seems to be at the right place at the right time. However, the issue at hand is his lack of proficiency when defending in the perimeter. The game has evolved in such a way that to some extent, guys like Favors have become obsolete. They can blame the stretch four or five for this, with more than a few centers now more than capable of being a legitimate threat from beyond the arc. We've seen Favors struggle with this type of opponent, and more often than not, Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry has no choice but to pull Favors out of the game.
Should they wish to progress in the playoffs, the Pelicans will need to go through the likes of Anthony Davis with the Los Angeles Lakers or Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets. Guys like these would be a nightmare matchup for Favors, and this might just where New Orleans' biggest problem lie.
Money Matters
Perhaps the most important thing to consider here is the money. Favors is currently on a two-year, $37.6 million deal which he signed in 2018. At just 28 and with a lot still left in his tank, Favors will likely be looking at the same amount of money for his extension, if not a bit more. The fact that the 2020 free agency class lacks talent further bolsters his case.
Are the Pelicans willing to shell this amount of money for a guy like Favors? Can they actually afford it? First-time All-Star forward Brandon Ingram is also going to be up for an extension in the offseason, and we're certain that the 22-year-old will be asking for a huge number, and deservedly so.
For the record, Favors himself mentioned that he's “probably” going to commit to the Pelicans (h/t Tony Jones of The Athletic), but even by his statement alone you can tell that nothing is guaranteed at this point.
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