WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. – Few things in basketball are more difficult for a player than trying to contribute to a team and play well while only seeing brief stints on the court. Throw in the fact that for some players, the future of their NBA career is at stake in October, and it becomes an even greater challenge.
That’s partly why Pelicans Coach Alvin Gentry said Friday he wants to make sure he doles out minutes during preseason in a way that gives players a fair shot at showing what they can do. Although not all 18 roster members will be in uniform Saturday for New Orleans’ preseason opener at Indiana – Quincy Pondexter won’t be available until November – it’s still not easy to juggle playing time with so many options.