DALLAS – The concept of a “bye week” is a familiar one in the NFL, but with the D-League’s Austin Spurs in the middle of a six-day stretch without a game, the timing was ideal Sunday for New Orleans rookie Cheick Diallo to rejoin his Pelicans teammates. The second-round pick will be in uniform and available to play when New Orleans (6-11) faces Dallas (2-13) tonight at American Airlines Center.
Diallo’s return comes at an optimum time for the Pelicans, who are a bit limited numbers-wise in the frontcourt, following Dante Cunningham’s recent leg injury. Beyond starters Anthony Davis, Omer Asik and Solomon Hill – Hill replaced Cunningham in the first string Friday at Portland – the only other “bigs” accustomed to playing power forward or center are Terrence Jones and Alexis Ajinca (the latter has not appeared in a game since Nov.