Professional sports is about more than just high-level athletic competition. Ego, status, money, and roles really matter when it comes to the fabric of building a team. The New Orleans Pelicans are dealing with a few of those issues now as the Brandon Ingram contract extension stare-down lingers on. The roster has been nitpicked apart since EVP David Griffin traded for Dejounte Murray too. The focus seems to be on the starting center but in a True Detective season three-styled twist, it turns out most have been asking the wrong questions. Fortunately, Karlo Matkovic is here to help solve a few of the roster's riddles.

Everyone wants to be a max-level player with a secured spot in the starting lineups. Around 200 people per year can call themselves an NBA starter at any point in the season. The question around the Pelicans is not about the starting center though, it's about who is at the five to close games. Matkovic earned the right to start the 2024-25 season in that role with some very strong NBA Summer League performances.

Pelicans see Karlo Matkovic's potential

Summer League has not exactly gone to plan, especially for Jordan Hawkins, but there are some silver lining takeaways from the losses. Coach Aaron Miles made it a point to highlight Matkovic despite the Pelicans dropping to 0-3 in Las Vegas.

“Karlo got some potential. We talk about resiliency all the time and that's part of it. Next play mentality; next game mentality,” Miles said. “We challenged him to take care of the basketball and be productive. He was (against the Spurs) and he's been playing with a ton of energy the whole time. He knocked down a couple of threes and even in the times when we didn’t have anything going, he made some plays.”

Matkovic was 11-13 from the field with three blocked shots, a steal, and a single turnover in a 90-85 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The 23-year-old Croatian sensation did not force a single play either. Bouncing back like that after a seven-turnover game is impressive. That mentality should translate well when playing with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy, and Herb Jones.

“I did the job I needed to do pretty much. I didn't go away from my game and tried to stay focused. Taking off and watching the film helps a lot…I didn’t want to force anything. I was in a good rhythm and shot the ball with confidence,” Matkovic shared. “That’s something I want to work on.”

Miles focused on the fundamentals when asked about Matkovic's closing qualities.

“Rebounding, setting screens, that's one thing we showed in film today was our screening. We've been setting some good screens,” Miles replied. “That's big and I think Karlo is big in terms of us executing late. I think we did a much better job this game in executing late, taking care of the basketball, and taking good shots.”

Making the most of limited minutes

Doing the dirty work is how most NBA players get to sign second contracts. Stars can slack off. Second-round picks who were stashed in Europe before getting a G-League look cannot. Matkovic has reasons to smile after a strong Summer League but was not completely satisfied after the Pelicans lost to the Spurs.

“I could have been much, much better rebounding this game. I had five and I'm not happy with it,” admitted Matkovic. “I don't care for the (25) points too much. I'm more about blocked shots and rebounds. From a defensive standpoint, we lost a lot of 50-50 balls. We lost the game on that pretty much. We win those, we win the game. It's a learning point for me. Just continue to compete, hustle, and it does not matter who is going to be out there (to close games).”

The locker room made it easier to smile after a knock-down top-of-the-key three-pointer and a few lob dunks though.

“We have a great group of guys that cheer us up. Hitting the three was big. Coach said he needed some top-of-the-key threes and I said ‘I got you,'” Matkovic recalled. “Remembering that throughout the game, it just flashes through and you've got to smile. We didn't have a really good shot, clock running down on the play, it was the last chance to do something.”

“I just shot it,” Matkovic continued. “I know I can shoot it but I think we can do a little better job with that. Sometimes if I'm going to pop and be alone, shoot it but that was out of no play, no action.”

That attention to detail will be appreciated in the Pelicans' locker room. Matkovic averaged 17.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 31.3 minutes per game after joining the G-League's Birmingham Squadron last spring. While the starting center position is important, the closing center role should not be overlooked. Matkovic has shown that he has the potential to excel in this role.

As fans and media, we should shift our focus and start asking the right questions about the team’s closing center. After all, the Western Conference is going to be a slugfest next season. Like any scuffles on an outdoor court, it’s not always about who starts but who finishes. Matkovic has shown the fight to fit right in as someone the Pelicans can depend on while making a push for a top-six seed.

“I always have a smile on my face,” Matkovic admitted. “That’s my character. I’m going to be positive and smiling all the time.”