Chris Douglas-Roberts started last season as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers but was involved in a three-team trade in January that sent him to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics waived Douglas-Roberts, and he was never able to latch on to another team. It is being reported that the 28-year-old small forward is getting some interest now, and one of the teams that might want to bring him in to training camp is the New Orleans Pelicans, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.
The Pelicans' current roster is very light on wing players, so they are looking to add some depth for training camp and will likely have the best performer join the regular season roster. Besides Douglas-Roberts, the Pelicans also reportedly have their eyes on Rasual Butler and Corey Webster.
The current wings on the Pelicans roster are starters Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon, Quincy Pondexter, who is expected to be limited in camp, and not much else. Luke Babbitt and Alonzo Gee are on the roster, but both are replaceable. The Pelicans have only 14 players currently signed to contracts, two of which are rookies that are non-guaranteed, so they have the ability to bring in more guys on make good deals so they can show whether they deserve a spot.
Douglas-Roberts had a very good three-year career at Memphis, including being a first team All-American as a junior, before entering the 2008 NBA Draft where the New Jersey Nets selected him tenth overall. Douglas-Roberts' career has been a disappointment so far, but at age 28, he is looking for another chance to get it going in the right direction.
In six seasons, CDR has career averages of 7.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 33 percent from three. Douglas-Roberts has good size (6-foot-7) and good athleticism, so he is worth a shot for a training camp invite. If CDR has a good training camp, assuming he signs, it is very possible that he makes the team and earns some minutes as a backup wing player for the Pelicans.
