Now that the 2024 NBA Finals is over and the Boston Celtics have been crowned the champion for the 18th time in franchise history — good for most titles in the 78-year history of the association — it has become very clear what the blueprint for the New Orleans Pelicans is to win a championship in today's NBA. Skilled size reigns supreme, as proven as well by the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets, while it's also important to have shooters who can hold their own on defense at every position (like the 2022 Golden State Warriors).

The key to mounting a deep run in the playoffs for the Pelicans will always be the health of Zion Williamson. Williamson was putting up arguably the best game of his life during the play-in tournament game against the Los Angeles Lakers, and at 23 years old, the sky is the limit for the highflying forward, for as long as he remains healthy. Williamson's ability to put pressure on the rim rim pressure as well as his improved playmaking make him a viable centerpiece for a contending team.

The question now is, what could the Pelicans do this offseason to try and replicate the blueprint that other championship teams before them have followed? Here are a few fixes that they could pull off to become a contender for the coveted Larry O'Brien trophy come June 2025.

Do not overreact to Brandon Ingram's struggles

It should go without saying that Brandon Ingram had a nightmare four-game stretch during the Pelicans' first-round exit against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ingram shot 34.5 percent from the field and his body language did not look right as he was smothered by the elite defense of Luguentz Dort.

Ingram also did not earn the good graces of fans with his poor performance in the play-in game against the Lakers that ended up being so bad that head coach Willie Green saw it fit not to give Ingram minutes in some of the most crucial minutes of the contest.

However, Brandon Ingram will only be 27 years old at the start of next season. Thus, he should remain safely within the prime years of his career. Moreover, 6'8 wings who can handle the ball and score the rock like he does don't grow on trees. As the Celtics showed, a player of Ingram's size and skill is crucial in getting through four rounds in the playoffs as these are the kinds of players that tend to be matchup-proof.

Ingram's contract situation is tricky; he'll be a free agent at the conclusion of next season, and the Pelicans have shown no indications that they're willing to sign him to a huge contract extension. But again, Ingram has averaged 23-6-5 as a member of the Pelicans, and to lose that kind of player, either for nothing via free agency or for a measly trade return, is unacceptable.

Sure, the Pelicans could justify losing Ingram by saying that they have a few wings, such as Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, and Jordan Hawkins, ready to assume more playing time, but in this league, there is no such thing as too many wings, as they can end up being handy in solving a few matchups in the playoffs.

As we saw in the 2024 NBA playoffs, perhaps Brandon Ingram is not cut out to be the best player on a championship team. But that goes for about 98 percent of players in the association. Ingram, as a three-level scorer who thrives in the midrange, also has the skillset to flourish in the playoffs as a complementary piece to Zion Williamson, provided they actually get to the playoffs with a clean bill of health. Simply put, the Pelicans must not overreact to Ingram's rocky end to the 2023-24 season.

Pelicans must find a way to snag Nicolas Claxton in free agency

As the Dallas Mavericks showed in their playoff run this year, having a rim-rolling, rim-protector is not an outdated formula when it comes to competing for a championship. Sure, they did come up short in the end, but that was against a historically-great Celtics team.

The Mavericks' addition of Daniel Gafford meant that they had an elite lob threat and shot-blocker on the court at all times, with Dereck Lively II coming off the bench. Thus, expect the value of this archetype of player to skyrocket. The Pelicans therefore should get in on the action.

While a frontcourt of Nicolas Claxton and Zion Williamson will have some questionable spacing, having a rim-protector who is mobile enough to cover quicker opponents is a must when competing in today's NBA. The Pelicans are jettisoning Jonas Valanciunas due to this exact matter. Valanciunas fell out of favor with the Pelicans due to the more ground-bound and plodding nature of his game, with head coach Willie Green opting to roll with Larry Nance Jr. or a small lineup with Williamson at the five to close out games.

Claxton's contract demands, however, will make him a tough get for a Pelicans team that's already above the salary cap even without making any moves this offseason. Should the contract situation prove to be an unclearable hurdle, perhaps the Pelicans could pivot to the likes of Clint Capela, Jakob Poeltl, or even throw their hat into the ring that is the Isaiah Hartenstein free-agent sweepstakes. Jarrett Allen stands out as an enticing option, but the Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be staying the course, at least that's what it looks like for now.

Is CJ McCollum the man at point guard?

While it's wrong to suggest that a CJ McCollum departure will benefit the Pelicans, it's fair for them to wonder whether they could use an upgrade to up the team's championship equity. Alas, it will be difficult for the Pelicans to find the perfect point guard to put alongside Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

With Williamson and Ingram wrestling away playmaking duties from McCollum, the Pelicans need someone who provides similar floor-spacing and pull-up shooting to the veteran guard but provide much-better defense. A player like that may not exist in the trade market. Perhaps Dejounte Murray is the closest to fitting that bill, and as luck would have it, he might be available for trade with the Atlanta Hawks reportedly looking to sell in an attempt to rebuild the team.

Murray has been linked to the Pelicans, with the team reportedly preferring the 27-year old combo guard over Trae Young. On paper, it does make sense; Murray is a much-improved three-point shooter, as he shot 36 percent from deep this past season on 7.1 attempts per night, and he has shown that he has the clutch gene as well, making multiple game-winners for the Hawks this past season.

Murray is also a much-more active defender than McCollum is; a backcourt of Murray and Herb Jones will make it difficult for opposing ballhandlers to do much of anything. There was a bit of drop-off in Murray's defense in Atlanta, but perhaps with a lighter offensive workload on the Pelicans, he could return to his NBA All-Defensive Second Team self.

Dejounte Murray's contract situation also makes him that much more appealing; he'll be making an average of $28.5 million for the next four seasons, or in simpler terms, nearly $5 million less than what McCollum will be making for the 2024-25 campaign.

If the Pelicans end up pulling off a trade for Murray, the entire Pelicans starting lineup will be comprised of lengthy, 6'5 or taller players who are athletic. Moreover, they still should have some sharpshooters left on the roster (Trey Murphy should be one of the team's most prized players) to make a defense-first team with some questionable shooting work.