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After struggling for much of the 2021-22 season, the New Orleans Pelicans–ninth in the Western Conference with a 36-46 record–finished the season strong, pushing the league-leading Phoenix Suns to six games in the first round of the playoffs, thanks in no small part to trade deadline acquisition CJ McCollum's contributions.
The Pelicans are on the up and up, especially with the impending regular season return of All-Star forward Zion Williamson. A core of Williamson, McCollum, and Brandon Ingram is as good a foundation as any for a serious playoff threat. Nevertheless, McCollum knows that the road to title contention is an uphill battle, and at the top remains one team that's become the NBA's gold standard over the years.
Speaking on his podcast, McCollum acknowledged that the Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, are still the team to beat in the upcoming season.
“I think it's Golden State and the rest of us,” McCollum said, per ESPN. “There's a lot of teams that have talent. But they are the only proven team.”
CJ McCollum knows better than to doubt the Warriors, especially after being on the losing end of the Warriors' runs to the Finals in previous years back with the Portland Trail Blazers. In 2016, the Blazers lost to the 73-win Warriors in the second-round. The Blazers barely squeaked into the festivities in the following year, only to get swept by the Kevin Durant-improved squad.
And in 2019, after making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, the Blazers were swept by the Durant-less Warriors after blowing multiple double-digit leads.
Even if KD had departed for the Brooklyn Nets, few people will have the gall to doubt the Warriors, mainly because of their impressive Finals triumph over the Boston Celtics last season. The fisticuffs between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole may have cast some doubt on the Warriors' rosy outlook, but with a resolution forthcoming, perhaps the Warriors' demise has been greatly exaggerated.
At the end of the day, the Pelicans have one of the brightest futures in the NBA. One of the keys to emerging as a true contender is to hit on the little things and the Pels have done so in recent years, having struck gold on Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado.
And with the continued stability provided by CJ McCollum and the rapid improvements of youngsters Ingram and Williamson, the Pelicans ought to go places in the coming seasons.
