Halo

The New Orleans Pelicans want to make the playoffs this season in the Western Conference, and Ryan Anderson is a critical piece to any potential postseason puzzle.

Simply put, the Pelicans must not trade the versatile forward if they want to play playoff basketball at the end of the 2014-15 campaign.

Mary Stevens of Basketball Insiders recently provided an intriguing possibility regarding Anderson: “Several teams around the league are in search of a big man that can shoot and Anderson will be a hot commodity if he is put out on the market.”



Don’t worry, Pelicans fans, the qualifying “if he is put on the market” is arguably the most important part of that entire section. It means the Pelicans have not officially entertained or at least publicly advertised the notion of trading him, although that could certainly become a reality at some point this season.

That would be a mistake.

Anderson is one of most reliable shooters in the entire league, which is valuable at any position, but especially at power forward. He is a matchup nightmare for a number of opponents and is a career 38.5 percent shooter from behind the three-point line, shooting 40.9 percent from deep in 2013-14 for the Pelicans.



Anderson can also rebound and averaged 6.5 boards a night for New Orleans a season ago. He is certainly not afraid to mix it up down low at 6’10”.

Anderson’s greatest value to the Pelicans in their hunt for the postseason is how seamlessly he fits in with the current roster as an asset off the bench.



Omer Asik does not stretch the floor at all down low, and Anthony Davis attracts extra defenders as one of the most dynamic players in the league. Anderson fits in perfectly with either one.

He is important when playing with Asik for spacing purposes so defenders cannot clog the lane and block penetration, which also helps Asik snag offensive rebounds. He is important when playing with Davis because he can drill the three-pointer when double-teams come Davis’ way.

Fran Fraschilla of ESPN noted that Anderson works nicely off the bench with this group:



Anderson’s versatility is also key for a team that isn’t as reliant on its bench for scoring production as many other teams are across the league.

Anderson has played some small forward at times this season to cover up a shallow bench. In fact, only four guys on the team are scoring in double figures a night in the early going, and three of them are starters (Anderson is the fourth at 13 a game). Having someone who can play multiple positions effectively off the bench is massively important for depth and rotational purposes.



Coach Monty Williams discussed Anderson’s time at small forward, via John Reid of NOLA.com: ''Ryan has been a good offensive rebounder, especially before he came here. You could see him rebound a lot better from that position. So that was a good sign.''

Anderson also has postseason experience from his time with the Orlando Magic, which is the ultimate goal for this season’s talented New Orleans roster.

Anderson played in three straight playoffs for the Magic and reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2010, where they lost a heartbreaker to the Boston Celtics. If and when the Pelicans reach the playoffs, Anderson’s experience could be a critical factor, especially with the young Davis as the star.



Finally, Anderson is only 26 years old, despite his designation as a veteran.

He should have plenty of productive years remaining in the tank and may even improve, especially since the three-pointer is such a crucial part of his arsenal. Athleticism fades over time, but the long-range shot typically lasts.

New Orleans needs to make sure that potential improvement comes with a Pelicans jersey on in the coming years.



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