New Orleans Pelicans Articles - Page 5

The wheeling-and-dealing Detroit Pistons are going through the crucible every young championship hopeful must survive to reach the NBA Finals. After years of rebuilding, the franchise has finally developed a legitimate cornerstone in Cade Cunningham, assembled promising young talent, and cultivated a winning culture under J.B. Bickerstaff. However, they need a couple more upgrades to […]

It wasn’t long ago when everyone was excited for Zion Williamson to make an impact in the NBA. After all, his unique combination of size, strength, and athleticism made him a dominant force in the amateur ranks. In fact, it was those very assets that allowed him to turn heads at Duke University. As a […]

After being heavily hyped in the amateur ranks, Zion Williamson has failed to live up to expectations since stepping foot into the NBA. Many believed that Williamson was a generational talent out of Duke University. As a result, the New Orleans Pelicans selected him first overall at the 2019 NBA Draft. Thus far, the 6-foot-6 […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have the worst record in the league and don’t have a first-round draft pick for next season, which is probably the worst shape you can be in as a franchise. At this point, the only way they can make things better is start trading some of their players to get some […]

The New Orleans Pelicans visit the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Trey Murphy III is on the injury report alongside Saddiq Bey and Herb Jones, with both of the latter players ruled out. Murphy III is coming off a career performance and is listed as questionable with low back spasms. Bey is nursing a right […]

Fans will have to wait a bit longer to see Trae Young in his new Washington Wizards uniform, as he is ruled out for Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans, putting his debut on hold. After the Wizards pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade that sent CJ McCollum and Corey Krispert to the […]

The NBA trade deadline often produces landscape-altering deals, but rarely do we see opportunities where four franchises can simultaneously address their most pressing needs. A multi-team framework sending Zion Williamson to the banged-up Chicago Bulls presents exactly that rare scenario for the New Orleans Pelicans. Well, as long as the not-quite-there New York Knicks and […]

With the NBA trade season officially kicking off with one star leaving the only team he’s ever played for, New Orleans Pelicans’ Zion Williamson could be the next trade candidate in a potential deal with the Chicago Bulls. It’s worth keeping a close eye on, as the Pelicans, Williamson, and the Bulls inch closer to […]

The line between NBA dynasty and draft-bust disaster is often drawn in the fragile ink of health reports and levels of realized potential. No two franchises have had to learn those hard lessons more than the Tyrese Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers and Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans. Both are flirting with last-place finishes to this season, […]

The stakes have never been higher around Beale Street or Bourbon Street-based basketball. EVP Zach Kleiman’s Memphis Grizzlies have started another new season poorly; Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are failing to launch their respective redemption tours. The same goes for Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans. After a few years defined by suspensions, injury […]

The New Orleans Pelicans watched a special night slip away even as Trey Murphy III caught fire. The shots kept falling. Threes came off movement. Drives came with confidence. The night closed with a career-high 42 points. Yet the Los Angeles Lakers still walked out with the win, and it became a sharp reminder to […]

The NBA Trade Deadline news cycle is churning with countless whispers, but the latest rumblings surrounding Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans are grounded in an unavoidable reality. A shrinking pool of teams can even consider a deal for the former first overall pick. Almost every contender is after Herb Jones or Trey Murphy III instead, […]

The NBA trade deadline creates urgency for teams in several unique ways, and this season presents a stark contrast between two All-Stars reportedly on the block. Zion Williamson’s piecemeal New Orleans Pelicans and Trae Young’s agitated Atlanta Hawks are dealing with two drastically different trade market equations. While Young’s name has dominated trade speculation with […]

New coach, new front office, same old story for Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans heading into the NBA Trade Deadline. They are long on theoretical talent, short on wins, and recalibrating how to value fan-favorites Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado. Trey Murphy III sits at the top of the internal hierarchy now, with Joe Dumars […]

The Detroit Pistons’ emergence as a contender atop the Eastern Conference standings has intensified speculation about whether the franchise could pursue a major trade, and one prominent league analyst believes Detroit is well-positioned to make a bold move. Following the Pistons’ 121-90 win over the New York Knicks on Monday night, which pushed them to […]

Critics of today’s NBA sometimes claim the players simply do not know their history. However, Trey Murphy III broke that mold right after getting called up during the NBA Draft. Well, at least when it came to breaking three-pointer records with the rebuilding New Orleans Pelicans. The 17th overall pick was going to be quite […]

Trey Murphy III made franchise history with his 3-point shooting in the New Orleans Pelicans’ matchup against the Miami Heat on Sunday night. Murphy is going through his fifth season in the NBA with the Pelicans. He has made significant strides into becoming one of the team’s best two-way players, building his consistency as a […]

In the modern NBA, the trade deadline is absolute chaos. Every year, nearly every team gets in on the action. With such a high quantity of deals being made, some of the agreed-upon trades are relatively low stakes. The deals that really get fans excited are the ones involving stars. Superstars are dealt at a […]

The punch-drunk New Orleans Pelicans are approaching a defining stretch of their season, one that will test not just their depth, but the clarity of the Joe Dumars vision. Zion Williamson and Derik Queen are finally playing 30+ minutes a night together, showing fans what could be a great foundation. Beyond that and the trade […]

The prideful New Orleans Pelicans have endured a challenging start to the season, navigating a string of injuries that have tested the depth of their roster. However, as the team waits to welcome back key contributors Dejounte Murray and Herb Jones in the coming weeks, there’s a palpable sense of optimism surrounding the franchise. Zion […]

Going into 2026, the busted-up New Orleans Pelicans find themselves in a familiar, albeit uncomfortable, position. However, though sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, there is no scent of surrender in the Smoothie King Center. According to interim coach James Borrego, a determined sense of resolve hangs in the air around Zion […]

The New Orleans Pelicans knew Derik Queen was a productive rebounder before the 2025 NBA Draft. What James Borrego did not expect was everything else the Maryland alum was bringing to the home of Mardi Gras. Thankfully, it seems apparent now that the Rookie of the Year candidate’s rebounding base, coupled with emerging rim protection and […]

A reshaped roster, an early-season coaching change, and a fan base impatient for tangible progress have created an unforgiving environment, particularly for a rookie still learning the ropes. However, according to James Borrego, Derik Queen is tuning out the static to become the next face of the New Orleans Pelicans. Selecting Queen 13th overall in […]

There are certain traits NBA coaches will tell you cannot be manufactured in a gym or taught on a whiteboard. When the new-look New Orleans Pelicans drafted Jeremiah Fears, the scouting reports spoke of speed, burst, and fearless downhill attacking. Just a few months into his NBA career, however, the internal comparisons have accelerated into […]

The final buzzer of 2025 sounded for the New Orleans Pelicans with a familiar result. A loss to the Chicago Bulls dropped interim coach James Borrego’s bunch to a daunting 8-27 entering 2026. However, the easy narrative of a last-place team, of a season slipping away, would not be accurate. Within the walls of the […]

The New Orleans Pelicans came into the matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday looking to snap a four-game losing streak. Although things weren’t looking so good on that front midway through the fourth quarter, Pelicans star Zion Williamson was doing his part to get a win as he dominated the paint. BULLY BALL! Zion […]

Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green weighed in on the fight between Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams, and New Orleans guard Jose Alvarado, with an intriguing take on the matter. Alvarado received a two-game suspension, and Williams received a one-game suspension. Green rarely shines away from on-court drama, which is why he was shocked to […]

With the New Orleans Pelicans displaying their losing ways, with the team being at the very bottom of the Western Conference, it will automatically lead to speculation that they could be sellers come the trade deadline in February. Though maybe with the Pelicans looking ahead to turn around and get into the 2026 NBA Playoffs, […]

As the calendar flips toward the new year, the busted-up New Orleans Pelicans find themselves once again scraping for relevance in the Western Conference standings. Sporting a dismal 8-26 record going into a New Year’s Eve date with the Chicago Bulls, Zion Williamson and Derik Queen are languishing in last place. Still, the locker room […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are enduring another difficult season, sitting at a dismal 8-26 after a recent loss to the New York Knicks. For most teams in such dire straits, the news would be one of dysfunction, finger-pointing, and an inevitable rebuild. However, interim head coach James Borrego sees a young squad on the verge […]

The New Orleans Pelicans may have fallen short against the New York Knicks. However, Zion Williamson’s return to the starting lineup offered a glimpse of hope for a franchise desperately seeking consistency and direction. After a stint coming off the bench, Williamson reclaimed his spot in the starting five, playing extended minutes without restrictions. While […]

For all the defensive progress Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans believe they are making heading toward 2026, one issue continues to undermine their climb. In the eyes of James Borrego, defensive rebounding is no longer a secondary concern or a situational weakness. It is the defining variable separating a respectable team from a potentially competitive […]

The blueprint for defending Trey Murphy III used to be simple, if daunting. Find the 2021 first-round pick in transition, stick to him in the half-court, and under no circumstances let the 6-foot-8 flamethrower see a clean look from beyond the arc. This season, and particularly with James Borrego at the helm of the upstart […]

The NBA has made an official decision following the altercation between New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams on Saturday night. Alvarado and Williams fought each other during the third quarter of the contest. Williams did a shove motion on Alvarado’s back, which led to the latter to start throwing […]

The Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans met with playoff-level emotion and it boiled over fast. In a heated Western conference clash, Mark Williams and Jose Alvarado were both ejected after an altercation that flipped the arena energy late in the third quarter. It started with contact on a screen. Tempers rose. Words followed. Then […]

As the New Orleans Pelicans (8–23) prepare to open a three-game homestand with back-to-back games beginning Friday night, the team listed guard Jordan Poole as questionable on its latest injury report ahead of the matchup against the Phoenix Suns (16-13). The Pelicans announced that Poole is dealing with left ankle soreness and will be evaluated […]

ESPN reporter Ramona Shelburne poured cold water on speculation linking the Los Angeles Lakers to Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, suggesting that New Orleans is unlikely to move either forward ahead of the trade deadline without an overwhelming return. Speaking on the latest episode of Mason & Ireland, Shelburne explained that despite persistent league […]

Just last week, the New Orleans Pelicans had the worst record in the NBA. After racking up five straight wins, the Pelicans are now 8-22 and sit in 13th place in the Western Conference. The Pelicans found a spark and have played some great basketball over the last week. New Orleans defeated the Blazers, Bulls, […]

Zion Williamson, on the 14th of December, returned to the New Orleans Pelicans lineup early after initially being projected to miss more time due to an adductor injury. Williamson, however, returned to an unfamiliar role coming off the Pelicans bench — with interim head coach James Borrego opting to keep Saddiq Bey, who’s been good […]