New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - New Orleans Pelicans' future plans beginning to take shape

Now that the shock of Thursday night's stunning draft-day turn of events has eased, the plan moving forward for the New Orleans Pelicans is beginning to crystalize.

Though the swap of No. 1 draft pick Nerlens Noel to the Philadelphia 76ers for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday won't become official until July 10, per league rules, it's now a little easier to see in which direction the Pelicans may be taking regarding the formation of a roster for this season.

And what that roster is currently showing is a large number of backcourt players, three of whom are coming off surgeries, one of whom who privately has made it clear he's not entirely happy in New Orleans, one whose contract has yet to be renewed for next season, two others who are restricted free agents, and one whose second-round draft rights – Baylor's Pierre Jackson – will be acquired by the Pelicans when the trade with the Sixers is final.

"We want to upgrade the roster," general manager Dell Demps said Thursday night. "(The Benson family) is giving us all the resources we need to upgrade the roster. That's all we want to do. It's real uncomfortable for me to be up here right now. I can tell you guys as much as I can. . . . I just can't speak on certain things now. Some things are still in the mix. Nothing has been finalized."

Read more: New Orleans Pelicans' future plans beginning to take shape | NOLA.com

Now just get Gordon the hell off this team and we're good to go.