The Pelicans signed Dante Cunningham on December 4, after a domestic abuse case was dropped against him because of inconsistencies in his accuser's story. Monty Williams had coached Cunningham while serving as an assistant in Portland, and relayed the duties to him.
"He's pro, he's been around. He understands what I want from him because I've coached him already. He's watched our team so he knows what we need."
Those duties were rather straightforward, as Cunningham was expected to be a reliable defensive forward who could dive on loose balls, chase down fast breaks, and not be Asik-awful offensively.