The New Orleans Pelicans are in a unique situation heading into the 2024-2025 season, and the roster changes Bryson Graham makes this offseason can open their contention window or slam it shut.

Willie Green’s squad has Zion Williamson, who is a superstar when healthy, and Brandon Ingram, who is a star but not quite a superstar. The Pelicans also have CJ McCollum, a former star guard who is past his prime but still capable of contributing at a high level.

On paper, the Pelicans have the making of a squad that can contend for championships. However, this team has trouble staying healthy and producing consistently when on the court.

Does New Orleans have the right kinds of stars?

New Orleans seems to have the wrong kinds of superstars. In today's NBA, a team needs at least one perimeter star in order to keep up with the best teams in the league. Ingram has shown flashes of being that guy, but he struggles to combine efficiency and volume.

When he isn't worried about counting stats, he's proven capable of being a highly efficient performer. Likewise, he's proven his ability to put up numbers but often sacrifices efficiency to do so. This isn't a knock on Ingram, as balancing production and efficiency is arguably the hardest thing to do in the NBA. It's what separates the perennial All-Stars and occasional All-NBA players from the Hall of Famers.

The Pelicans must add a perimeter playmaker

The biggest need for the Pelicans is a playmaker who will score efficiently while creating for himself and others. He has to be somebody who can get the ball with the game on the line and make something positive happen.

Williamson is great when he’s on the court, but he has struggled to stay healthy. As the saying goes, availability is the best ability. If a player can’t be trusted to stay on the court, he can’t be trusted to produce.

Regardless, in today’s NBA, you really need at least two players who can break down a defense. That way, if the defense makes a concerted effort to lock down one of your initiators, there is somebody else to take the reins and lead the offense. This makes it incredibly difficult for the defense when they have to guard multiple stars instead of just one.

Right now, the Pelicans have one B-level initiator and two C-level initiators. Ingram can certainly create scoring opportunities for himself, and is also capable of creating for others, although he isn’t particularly proficient at it. He could stand to improve his efficiency while recording star-level statlines, but at least he gets the job done. After Ingram, though, things get a bit dicey for the Pelicans.

CJ McCollum can create, but he’s getting on the older side at this point, and has always been more of a shooter than an overall scorer or a playmaker. McCollum was at his best when he was playing second fiddle to Lillard in Portland, and he can’t be relied upon as the go-to guy.

Williamson is a great overall player, but he’s somebody who’s at his best when he can bully his way to the rim and impose his will on the defenders. He’s not at his best when he’s asked to create for others, and he operates better in the post as opposed to out on the perimeter.

The Pelicans should consider adding this young player

If the Pelicans are looking for a young creator with upside, Emoni Bates could be the perfect under-the-radar option. At just 20 years old, Bates is oozing with upside as a primary initiator. He’s 6-foot-8 with a silky smooth jumper, and has the handles to create separation and shoot over the top of defenders.

Bates has struggled somewhat in his career, and he certainly hasn't lived up to the high expectations he had when he was a kid in high school. At one time, Bates was considered to be the best high school player in the country and a near-lock as a future number-one overall pick.

Bates started his college career at the University of Memphis, where his freshman season was derailed by injuries. Even when Bates was healthy, though, he struggled heavily in the college game and his performance fell far short of expectations. As his draft stock plummeted, the young wing ended elected to transfer to Eastern Michigan and play another year of collegiate ball with the goal of rehabilitating his draft stock and being a lottery pick.

While at Eastern Michigan, Bates had some legal issues including a gun charge that further clouded his road to the NBA. However, Bates at least showed flashes of the player he could be when he was on the court. He entered the NBA draft and was ultimately selected with the 49th overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he currently plays on a two-way contract with the Cavs and their G-League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge.

Despite his name being popular throughout NBA circles for several years, Bates is still just 20 years old, and he has plenty of runway to continue to grow both as a player and as a person.

Honorable mention: Health

What the Pelicans really need, though, is a clean bill of health. As mentioned before, this team has struggled to stay healthy. Part of this has to do with how the roster was designed. McCollum is on the older side, Ingram is skinny for his size and Williamson had questions about durability before be was even drafted. If the Pelicans can stay healthy, they’ll have a chance to compete. But, that’s a big question mark and the concern is directly related to the type of roster the front office built.