Give the New Orleans Pelicans some credit; the organization realized that Norris Cole was outplaying his skill level last season. In one of their few intelligent contract decisions, the Pelicans only offered Norris Cole a qualifying offer, which is a one-year deal that expires this offseason. Instead of having the guard locked in for the foreseeable future, the team was able to evaluate him during this season and approach the contract negotiations with a clearer picture of Cole.
That picture certainly isn’t pretty. Norris Cole regressed massively in nearly every statistical category, and his inability to command the second unit with any degree of efficiency was on full display.