To paraphrase something several of his New Orleans teammates have noted throughout the 2019-20 season, Derrick Favors is a man of few words. When he wants to make a point, however, he always has his team’s undivided attention.
“He’s quiet, but when he speaks, it means a lot,” Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday said. “What he says, he doesn’t waste words, so when he speaks, everyone cherishes it. Having his presence around, he has a calm demeanor that calms everybody down.”
That steadying presence has been irreplaceable at several stages of the ’19-20 campaign, particularly after New Orleans (28-36) endured a 13-game losing streak, a stretch that initially figured to send the Pelicans to the draft lottery.