A training camp preview for New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jeremiah Fears.
The New Orleans Pelicans kick off training camp in under a month, which means it is time to start preparations for the season. As the roster comes into shape, it's important to take stock of where everyone is heading into camp.
Jeremiah Fears is one of the most important players this preseason as a former top-10 pick beginning his sophomore campaign. The Pelicans are ecstatic about what he showed in year one, but now it's time for him to build upon that after a long offseason of hard work.
State Of His Career
Fears is a key part of the future in New Orleans. He showed a lot as a rookie, but not necessarily a lot that contributed to winning basketball, as he had one of the worst plus/minus metrics in the league. Most of that had to do with struggles on defense and figuring out how to run an NBA offense, but he also showed great strides throughout the year.
As the Pelicans are prioritizing winning with their veterans over everything right now, the expectation is that Fears will begin the season on the bench again. He will have to win over the new coaching staff with his performance.
One Area Where He Must Grow
One thing that would help his case immensely is his three-point shot coming along. New Orleans hasn't been able to add reliable spacing this offseason, so they need more people to make defenses pay for leaving them open.
Fears didn't do it a lot when starting out as a rookie, but he has the potential to be an elite shooter. Overall, as a rookie, he shot 33% on 3.7 attempts per game. He had stretches of looking elite already, but it was far from consistent. There were two games where he made at least five threes.
Best-Case Scenario For Training Camp
The best, most realistic thing that Fears could accomplish is forcing this coaching staff's hand in starting him right away. That could be hard depending on how they want to shape the rotation, but the point guard will be involved if he shows that he is ready for it.
If they started Fears, it would either mean Dejounte Murray comes off the bench or starts at the two. After how much basketball he missed the last two years, it is doubtful that Murray will be ok with a bench role. Fears doesn't have to worry about that, though.
As previously mentioned, becoming more consistent from three would go a long way, but he also needs to show that he can hold his own on defense. He looks to have added a ton of strength this offseason, but he'll need to show it on the court before anyone can celebrate.
