The New Orleans Pelicans are coming into the 2013-14 season with higher expectations that many expected and the main reason is due to the fact that the team pulled off two very intriguing trades in the offseason by acquiring Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans from the 76ers and the Sacramento Kings.

The team felt that the deals would enable a quick rebuilding process with young stars like Eric Gordon and Antony Davis and adding Holiday and Evans could get the team back to the playoffs. One other player that will be integral to the Pelicans success this season is forward Ryan Anderson. The forward has been one of the most improved players in the league over the past few seasons and last year he played in a career high 81 games while averaging 16.2 points and over six rebounds for the team.

Anderson is expecting to be an integral part of the team again, but he enters the season after going through some intense hardships, as his girlfriend Gia Allemand, a previous contestant on "The Bachelor", committed suicide earlier in the offseason. According to Pro Football Talk, Anderson spoke with the Orlando Sentinel about the situation and about coming back to the NBA and basketball after dealing with the tragedy over the summer of her death.

Anderson spoke to the Sentinel and said that he thinks about it all the time and that he misses her greatly from his life. Anderson is expecting to be one of the key contributors for the team and this comes after some solid years playing for the Magic in Orlando. The report from Pro Basketball Talk says that Anderson and the family of his girlfriend are starting a foundation and that it is going to try and help "people who are depressed and considering suicide".

While the Pelicans only went 27-55 last season, the team feels that having players like Davis, Anderson and Gordon alongside new stars Holiday and Evans gives the team a real shot at making the playoffs in the West. While the top of the conference is stacked with teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, New Orleans feels that it can easily sneak in as one of the lower seeds and the way Anderson plays should be a big part of that.