Anthony Davis Never Had the Squad Zion Williamson Already Has in NOLA

Five months ago, the New Orleans Pelicans were in disarray.

Franchise cornerstone Anthony Davis had requested a trade. The Pelicans refused to comply ahead of the trade deadline, which created an awkward situation for the final few months of the regular season.china nfl nike jerseys

That’s all in the past now. Davis is headed to the Los Angeles Lakers, while No. 1 pick overall Zion Williamson will take his place as the Pelicans’ new cornerstone.buy nfl jerseys wholesale

After struggling to build around Davis during his seven seasons in New Orleans, can the Pelicans get it right this time with Zion?nike official nfl jerseys

If the past few months are any indication, it seems as though they’ve learned some valuable lessons.sale nfl jerseyshi-res-d26e2d862754b1ea38cd823c2ccf3caa_crop_north

In mid-February, the Pelicans fired longtime general manager Dell Demps. Two months later, they hired David Griffin to take personalized nfl jersey over as their executive vice president of basketball operations, which began a cascade of organizational changes.

Griffin urged team owner Gayle Benson to invest millions in the team’s practice facility, according to Andrew Lopez of the Times-Picayune. The Pelicans brought in Phoenix Suns longtime athletic trainer Aaron Nelson, hired Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager Trajan Langdon as their GM and brought in Swin Cash as their vice president of basketball operations/team development.

And then they won the 2019 NBA draft lottery, giving them the rights to Williamson.cheapest nfl jerseys online

They’ll now have to avoid the same mistakes they made around Davis over the past half-decade.nfl authentic jerseys wholesale

The Pelicans had plenty of opportunities to build around Davis, but they were undone by injuries, overpays (Omer Asik, Alexis Ajinca, Solomon Hill) and a failure to establish a winning and sustainable culture. nfl jerseys store

During Davis’ tenure, the Pelicans traded away most of their draft picks. The only two who saw the floor were Austin Rivers (No. 10, 2012) and Buddy Hield (No. 6, 2016), who combined to start a paltry 70 games in New Orleans. china cheap nfl jerseys

Demps gave Davis plenty of high-upside teammates such as Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday, Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson, but he too often surrounded them with mediocre role players like Brian Roberts, Lou Amundson, Luke Babbit, Norris Cole, Roger Mason and Anthony Morrow.

Griffin won’t make that mistake, as he emphasized after selecting Williamson.cheap nfl womens jerseys

“So again, I want to keep reiterating the human part of this is at least as big as the on-court part. And all of you have very high on-court expectations. Look, this is not somebody who’s supposed to be the savior of this franchise. That’s not what this is. This is a 19-year-old kid who’s going to spend this year learning how to play winning NBA basketball.” where to buy official nfl jerseys

Kawhi Leonard, Raptors Take 2-1 Series Lead over Magic with 98-93 Game 3 Win

The Toronto Raptors grabbed a 2-1 series lead over the Orlando Magic with a 98-93 victory in Game 3 on Friday in Orlando.jerseys nfl wholesale

Pascal Siakam led the way for the Raptors with 30 points and 11 rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard contributed 16 points and 10 boards.cheap womens nfl jerseys china

Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 14 rebounds in a losing effort for the Magic.nfl women jersey

Siakam Much More Than NBA’s Most Improved Player hi-res-5923fad3d0af51c21e408358cf09fb83_crop_north

Third-year forward Pascal Siakam appears to be the favorite for the 2018-19 Most Improved Player award following a breakout regular season. Now that the postseason has arrived, he is showing his true value.

Siakam entered 2018-19 with career averages of 6.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He took a big step forward by establishing new career highs in scoring (16.9), rebounds (6.9) and assists (3.1).nike nfl jerseys differences

John Schuhmann of NBA.com noted that Siakam had the third-biggest increase in points plus rebounds plus assists per game this season at 13.1.

Even those numbers don’t show how valuable he is to the Raptors. Game 3 did, though.cheap women nfl jerseys

Siakam has been one of Toronto’s most consistent players this postseason, entering play Friday averaging 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds. As Leonard struggled with his shot most of the night, Siakam guided the Raptors to victory.

The 6’9″, 230-pound big man made 13 of 20 shots (3-of-4 from beyond the arc) in recording a game-high 30 points in 42 minutes. He scored 12 in the opening quarter.

When the Raptors needed a big play late, Siakam helped to hold off an Orlando rally on both ends of the court. His floater with 93 seconds to play ended a 4-0 Magic spurt and pushed the lead back up to six.

He also played a part in forcing a turnover on the ensuing Orlando possession, which helped close out the victory.nfl china jerseys nike

Before Game 3, first-year Toronto coach Nick Nurse made it clear to reporters that he viewed Siakam as the team’s second option, not third. Thus far, the Magic have had no answer for him.nfl jersey factory

FiveThirtyEight’s Jared Dubin wrote this week that Siakam—who is making $1.5 million this season—has provided the NBA’s best bang for buck, giving the Raptors a surplus value in excess of $35.8 million.nfl jersey wholesale authentic

Erik Gonzalez, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates

Stats: 56 PA, .208/.296/.292, 3 XBH, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 12 K

Potential Replacement: Cole Tucker nike nfl jerseys sale

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Erik Gonzalez from the Cleveland Indians during the offseason and handed him the starting shortstop job out of spring training. As a career .263 hitter with a sub-.300 on-base percentage and a 79 OPS+ in 275 big league plate appearances, little was expected from his bat.nfl authentic jerseys china

However, his defense was viewed as good enough to take the hit offensively, with the thought being he could still provide positive value with steady glovework at a premium position.

So far, he’s produced zero DRS and a minus-13.9 UZR/150.hi-res-15eaaa1e4b33a811ce827514b829aa5b_crop_exact

Those below-average defensive metrics, coupled with his offensive ineptitude, have made him a minus-0.2-WAR player in the early going.

And the peripherals provide little hope his offensive game will turn around. Among 193 qualified hitters leaguewide, he ranks second in soft-contact rate (34.2 percent) and 192nd in hard-contact rate (18.4 percent).cheap personalized nfl jerseys

Meanwhile, shortstop prospect Cole Tucker is hitting .340/.426/.547 with six extra-base hits in 12 games at Triple-A Indianapolis.

It’s only a matter of time.

Stats: 69 PA, .129/.203/.161, 2 XBH, 2 RBI, 5 BB, 13 K

Potential Replacement: Dawel Lugo

Veteran Josh Harrison looked like an excellent low-cost addition to the Detroit Tigers, both on the field and in the clubhouse when he was signed to a one-year, $2 million deal in February.

“He’s a positive person, a leader who has proven himself at this level. He’s another guy who can help improve our situation this year, and maybe beyond,” manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters during spring training. “He helps us not only as a player on the field, but he’s a teacher. nfl jerseys official If we’re going to have some young players on the field, he can help them, too.”

Unfortunately, the early returns have been less than encouraging, as his .nfl best jerseys 364 OPS ranks dead last among 193 qualified hitters.

For a rebuilding Tigers team, keeping Harrison around in a utility role makes sense, as his value stretches beyond his on-field production.

However, it might now be worth it to consider giving someone else the bulk of the playing time.buy nfl jerseys online

Prospect Dawel Lugo has a chance to be the long-term answer at second base, authentic nfl jerseys from china and the 24-year-old is off to a hot start at Triple-A, hitting .333/.412/.533 with six extra-base hits in 12 games.

Offseason Predictions for NBA Superstars Most Likely to Change Teams

There are several different approaches to team building in the NBA, but every one of them boils down to acquiring superstar talent. Whether through the draft, authentic nfl jerseys china free agency or trade, organizations that plan to compete for a championship  nfl jersey sale know they need to get ahold of premium players.

Several will be on the move this summer, nfl official jersey and that means the league-wide power structure is about to endure a significant shakeup.

The transactional side of the NBA is now as newsworthy as the games themselves. The players on this list have all been the subject of rumors since before the 2018-19 season tipped off, so their presence here is no surprise. The only unexpected result would be if one or two of them actually stayed put.5eb4d0efd6015ef7b8acd436b2f91c29_crop_exact

Based on team situation, reporting throughout the year and a little gut instinct, these are the superstars most likely to be sporting different jerseys come October 2019.

The easiest way to explain Anthony Davis’ inclusion here would be to say: “Please refer to anything that happened after Jan. 28, 2019, which is when ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported AD’s trade request.”where to get nfl jerseys cheap

In light of the back-and-forth leaks from the Lakers and Pelicans between the request and the trade deadline and the charade of New Orleans playing Davis sporadically ever since, the greatest obstacle to getting AD out of town may be the lack of exit routes. He’s already torched every bridge, which, if you’re going to do that, you should at least wait until you’ve crossed them.china nfl jerseys cheap

Kansas City Chiefs: Cornerback

In Marcus Peters, the Kansas City Chiefs had the NFL’s preeminent ball hawk at the cornerback position. Since he entered the NFL in 2015, no player has more interceptions than Peters’ 19.

But Peters isn’t in Kansas City anymore. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams after the Chiefs tired of his antics between interceptions.nike nfl cheap jerseys

It was a surprising move—one that leaves Kansas City’s secondary very much in flux.

The trade that sent Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins gave the Chiefs Kendall Fuller, who is one of the league’s better young slot corners.

But without Peters, the outside might be a problem. In five years, free-agent addition David Amerson has less than half the interceptions that Peters piled up in just three seasons. Steven Nelson, like Peters, entered the pros in 2015.nfl nike jerseys for cheap

His next NFL interception will be his first.

The Chiefs added some corner help on Day 3 of the draft and afterward in rookie free agency, but anything the team gets from that group is going to be found money.

Kansas City’s pass defense was already a mess. The Chiefs allowed 247 yards a game through the air last year. Only three teams gave up more.

Don’t expect that to improve in 2018.nike nfl jerseys wholesale cheap

The Los Angeles Chargers have the makings of a sneaky-good contender in 2018. The team rebounded from an awful start last season to narrowly miss the playoffs, and problem areas like the offensive line and interior defense were bolstered in free agency and/or the NFL draft.

Third-round defensive tackle Justin Jones was brought in in the hopes of fortifying a run defense that was terrible last year, surrendering 131.1 yards per game on the ground—most in the AFC.

There’s still an issue in the middle of the defense, however.nike cheap nfl jerseys

The Chargers drafted a potential starter on the outside of Gus Bradley’s 4-3 in USC’s Uchenna Nwosu, but the “Mike” linebacker spot is still up in the air.

That’s the middle, in case your vernacular needs work.

Jatavis Brown, who logged 76 stops for a second straight year in 2017, was in and out of the lineup last season. That was partly due to nagging injuries, but he also appeared to lose favor with the coaching staff.

When on the field, Denzel Perryman’s been a more consistent performer than Brown. But there’s a big caveat—Perryman has missed 15 games in three years (including over half of last season).

It’s not hard to imagine another carousel where Perryman gets hurt, Brown bounces in and out of the starting lineup, and Hayes Pullard plays like the seventh-round pick he is.

In other words, an unwanted repeat of last season.

Feeling the Need for Speed (and Size) at Running Back

Moneyball principles may not recommend drafting a running back early, but the analytics love big, fast running backs just as much as scouts do.best nfl jerseys

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell developed Speed Score for Football Outsiders in 2008. It’s a deceptively simple way to combine a running back’s weight and 40 time into one easy-to-understand number. That way, no mental arithmetic must be done to compare a 233-pound back with 4.40 speed (Saquon Barkley) to a 198-pounder with 4.38 speed (NC State’s Nyheim Hines) or a 250-pounder with 4.69 speed (Texas’ Chris Warren).45b55945a7c07c3a3870ad73e9f83dbb_crop_exact

Barkley blew this year’s crop of running backs away with a 124.3 Speed Score. Hines and Warren also posted very good results for projected mid-rounders.nfl jersey for cheap  You can find the full list here, which has its share of surprises, like Nick Chubb beating Georgia teammate Sony Michel.

Speed Score is far from foolproof. After all, it’s just a blend of two combine results. But it’s a handy item to keep in the toolkit nfl jerseys cheap authentic  for informing the scouting process. A 1,000-yarder from a powerhouse program with a low Speed Score could be a product of his system. On the other hand, an unheralded rusher with a great Speed Score could be a diamond in the rough.

For example, Arizona State’s Kalen Ballage finished second to Barkley in Speed Score despite low production totals as part custom nfl jerseys cheap of a committee backfield in college. The measurables indicate that he deserves a closer look. You may want to keep an eye on him when it’s time to draft your fantasy team as well.customized nfl jerseys

Mark Sanchez Reportedly Suspended 4 Games for NFL PED Violation

The NFL suspended free-agent quarterback Mark Sanchez for the first four games of the 2018 season on Friday for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, according to The MMQB’s Albert Breer. best nfl jerseys

“The NFL has informed me that I have tested positive for a substance on the banned substance list,” Sanchez wrote on Instagram. “I was blind-sided by the news and I want to say unequivocally that I have never cheated or attempted to gain a competitive advantage by using a banned performance enhancing substance.

“…My test history and pharmacological science confirm I was not cheating and the positive test was the result of incidental and isolated exposure to a banned substance. I was tested by the NFL 30 days before and 12 days after my one positive test. Both tests bracketing the one positive test were clean.”hi-res-49cf775d42b5e38775d62bef33ee1746_crop_northnfl jersey for cheap

Sanchez added that while he did not knowingly take any substances, the league’s rules are clear regarding any sort of consumption:

“Nevertheless, the NFL has an extremely comprehensive performance enhancing drug policy. Because of the policy’s comprehensive and self-described ‘strict liability’ nature, players know that inadvertent exposure to a banned substance may lead to a positive test. The policy makes it each player’s responsibility to avoid even the unwitting ingestion of a banned substance. I accept responsibility as a professional and will move forward with greater caution in the future. I look forward to getting back on the field this season.” nfl jerseys cheap authentic

Sanchez, 31, hasn’t taken a regular-season snap since 2016 when he was a member of the Dallas Cowboys. He spent last season buried on the Chicago Bears’ depth chart behind Mitchell Trubisky and Mike Glennon.
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Sanchez’s last start came on Thanksgiving in 2015 with the Philadelphia Eagles—a 45-14 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.

Over the course of seven seasons, the 2009 first-round pick has completed 56.7 percent of his passes for 15,219 yards, 86 touchdowns and 86 interceptions.

Is Saquon Barkley Really a Generational RB Talent?

The 2018 draft class is fascinating for a number of reasons. As many as five quarterbacks could go in the first round, and there’s a surplus of talent at other positions. With question marks attached to all those quarterbacks, there’s a race for the title of “best player in the draft” outside the game’s most important position.
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Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is one of those players thought by many to be the best pure football talent in this class. In three years as a starter for the Nittany Lions, he gained 3,843 rushing yards and scored 43 touchdowns on 671 carries. He also caught 102 passes for 1,195 yards and eight touchdowns, and added 18 kickoff returns for 500 yards and two touchdowns.
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Barkley’s positional versatility is singularly impressive among the running backs in this class, and it would be the same in most draft classes. He can run inside and outside with tremendous speed, lateral agility and acceleration. As a receiver, he can line up anywhere from offset in a Pistol formation to the slot to outside—he has the potential to be the NFL’s best receiving back since Le’Veon Bell rounded out his skill set. As a direct-snap running quarterback who finds himself behind the center from pre-snap movement, Barkley can also create explosive plays. It’s easy to see why some would tout him as a truly great back, and in many aspects of his play, he is just that.
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Bert Whigham, who has been training Barkley this year at Tom Shaw Performance in Florida, set the bar fairly high regarding his client’s professional prospects, comparing him to another player Whigham has trained.nfl jerseys cheap authentic

“The only person I can think of that’s comparable physically is [Oakland Raiders linebacker] Khalil Mack,” Whigham told Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “Khalil and Saquon are my 1a. and 1b. These two guys are outliers. They’re freaks. It’s those two and then probably [Tennessee Titans running back] Derrick Henry, another freak. But with Khalil, we knew he was the No. 1 overall pick. We knew he was going to be special. And it’s the same with Saquon. You’ve got a generational talent.”