Dec. 26, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon reacts during game against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Hornets defeated the Suns 85-84. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

This past offseason, our fearless leader Dell Demps brought in two significant pieces to the new-look Pelicans puzzle in Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans. It is safe to say that most fans of the team are excited of the new acquisitions, as am I, provided that we use our new weapons in the most effective way. Some fans have raised eyebrows at the issues of floor spacing with new players in addition to prized guard Eric Gordon, as well as the roles that the three guards will play on the court. Will Evans step out of his comfort zone and try his hand at the small forward position? Or will he come off the floor as a substitute? How will the similarly sized guards in Holiday and Gordon co-exist with scoring and ball sharing?

It turns out that these issues have been faced by many teams in the past, in a number of different ways. To examine some frameworks of how teams have dealt with similar issues in recent years, I took a look at the 06/07 Spurs, the 11/12 Thunder, and the 06/07 Warriors. Each of these teams were heavily strong at the guard and small forward positions, and perhaps the Pelicans could mirror their strategies this year as we build our final roster.

2006-2007 San Antonio Spurs – Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, and Bruce Bowen

The way that the world champion Spurs handled being so strong in the backcourt was through concretely established roles of play. Parker was the passer of the team, leading the Spurs with 5.5 apg in the regular season, and also contributing with 18.6 ppg. Ginobli was the surge off the bench only starting 36 games of the 75 he played in, but still ending up third on the team in ppg with 16.5. Bowen was a defensive presence, and played a support role to the team as a whole.

If the Pelicans were to match this style, Holiday would clearly be our true point guard and contribute off his strong performance last year in terms of assists and points for the 76ers. If Gordon does not develop into the consistently prolific scorer that we think he can be, or struggles with his health, he or Evans would likely sink into Ginobli or Bowen-type roles for the team. Evans, a combo guard with great length, could be a super sub and come off the bench for Holiday, Gordon, or Aminu.

2011-2012 Oklahoma City Thunder – Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Kevin Durant

April 11, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The City Thunder defeated the Warriors 116-97. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

There are two key aspects of this trio that brought the Thunder to the finals. The first was that Kevin Durant was the go-to guy, the point scorer, and the leader of the team. There were no question marks as to who was the strongest part of this Thunder squad, and Durant produced night in and night out. I believe Gordon can step up, and maybe not score as many points, but control and be a leader of this team. He may be smaller than Durant and may not be able to dominate games as well, but I think as a scorer and a leader he can take lead the Pelicans, and undoubtedly be our star, if things work out.

The second key to the Thunder was that Westbrook and Harden played in a fashion that when Durant was having a night off, the two of them could support and still help the Thunder put up fantastic offensive numbers. The two knew when Durant was hot, and fed him the ball accordingly. But when Durant was cold, they had the ability to take over the game together or on their own and still support the team offensively. If Holiday can continue his all-star form, and Evans can recapture that special season where he won Rookie of the Year, this could be a format to follow for the Pelicans.

2006-2007 Golden State Warriors – Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, and Jason Richardson

Feb. 22, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis (8) against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Warriors defeated the Suns 106 – 104. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports.

Remember that magical Western Conference Quarterfinals between the eighth seeded Warriors and the 67-win Mavericks? The Warriors won that incredible series largely due to their excellent plan of how to most effectively use their guards. These three guards worked so well together because unlike the other two teams above, there were no specific roles for the players to play. They could beat you in any fashion, by any means: from the three-point line, on defense, and by feeding their big men the ball. All three could score well, defend, distribute, and spread the floor evenly and efficiently. None of these players were perennial all-stars, but they all could play team basketball well and were as versatile as they come.

These three remind me of our own specifically because of the lack of a clear standout player that outshines the rest. Holiday had a career year and could play even better in Monty’s system this year, Gordon is one of the strongest scorers in the league, and Evans could play much better this year after being on the decline in Sacramento since his rookie season.

Regardless of how they spread the floor, establish roles, or focus on who starts and who comes off the bench, the guard play from the Pelicans is going to be much better than last year’s. Fans should expect much more athletic play with better transition defense and offense. Once the coaching staff figures out how to spread the floor in the best possible way, New Orleans could make a legitimate playoff push this year.