Executive Vice President David Griffin has made significant moves this offseason, including acquiring All-Star guard Dejounte Murray and signing veteran center Daniel Theis. New Orleans also nabbed promising Baylor big man Yves Missi and sharpshooting Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves in the 2024 NBA Draft. However, the revamped front office stuck with the homegrown core despite the obvious weaknesses inherent in the Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram pairing.
Williamson, Ingram and CJ McCollum are coming back to the Crescent City barring a trade. Ingram may leave town before training camp, sure, but that is looking less likely by the day. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed Jarrett Allen to a massive three-year extension, ending the route to one trade partner. ESPN's Zach Lowe reports that any movement in the Ingram market depends on Lauri Markkanen leaving the Utah Jazz first.
Pelicans must improve shot selection, rebounding
Still, the supporting cast of Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado means this squad will at least look similar next season. A look at this 24-pack case of stats shows exactly where the Pelicans need to improve: Rebounding, defense and 3-point volume. Not taking ending possessions by clearing the boards and refusing to take the most valuable shot in basketball will be what tears this team apart.
These shortcomings are not sitting on a beach either. An All-Star starting center is not walking through those locker room doors for nothing. The second line led by Alvarado and Murphy III already has a larger-than-life reputation. If the All-Stars want to make this roster work, they have to stick to the fundamentals and execute the game plan calling for 40 threes per game. In a make-or-miss league, it's best to start with the offense. Willie Green's defense is already elite.
(All stats are per 100 possessions and league rankings are in parenthesis.)
- Points: 116.5 (11th)
- True Shooting Percentage: 59.1% (10th)
- Effective Field Goal Percentage: 55.8 (11th)
- Points in the Paint: 51.3 (10th)
- Opponents PITP: 46.6 (6th)
- Threes attempted: 33 (23rd)
- Percentage of Shots 3PA: 37.3 (22nd)
- Opponents % of Shots 3PA: 39.1 (29th)
- Rebounds: 44.5 (8th)
- Offensive Rebounds: 10.5 (16th)
- Rebounding % Rate: 50.5 (10th)
- Second Chance Points: 14.0 (13th)
The shooting and rebounding numbers are just above average but not quite on the fringe of elite levels for the most part. Finding another handful of 3-pointers, at least one per quarter, is a priority. The same goes for taking away some second chance opportunities in the paint. Winning those math problems is just part of the modern game. It is hard to do when seemingly every franchise has set a road three-point shooting record in the Smoothie King Center.
Willie Green earning a defensive reputation
Forcing more tough midrange shots, while avoiding the same, will be the first things opposing scouts notice next season. An active defense helping is step one and some reserves will need to step up with Dyson Daniels leaving town. While some may lament the lack of a proven, experienced starting center the Pelicans should be fine with Murray and Herb Jones able to switch point-of-attack duties.
Williamson and Ingram will have to step up for a full season. Trey Murphy III will have to out-compete rivals like Chet Holmgren to be worth a near-max contract. Karlo Matkovic, Daniel Theis, Yves Missi and Trey Jemison can fully commit to cleaning the glass. The center-by-committee approach means the frontcourt foursome can protect the paint knowing they have fouls to give and will not be focal points on offense.
- Steals: 8.4 (2nd)
- Blocks: 4.7 (19th)
- Defensive Rating: 111.9 (6th)
- Opponent Effective Field Goal Percentage: 54.1% (12th)
Again, front offices still have to navigate trade scenarios until the deadline but all five Southwest Division squads looked ready to compete for at least an NBA Play-In Tournament spot. Everything depends on the injury bug, especially in the Big Easy. Defense is the team's fallback plan to keep things close regardless of who is available.
The mantra has worked in the past as Green has gotten to the postseason after historically bad starts. The franchise fought to the end last year as well but once Williamson went on IR, the rest of the season felt like a formality.
Maximizing Zion Williamson's strengths key to success
The “Point Zion” Experiment paired with Green's defensive-minded coaching was working, though. Williamson was last seen dropping 40 points on LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers. Ingram is itching to change the narratives following a disastrous 12-month stretch including Team USA duty. The over-30 CJ McCollum and now on his third team Murray might have their best shots at an NBA Finals appearance.
Williamson works best in transition and when defenses are trying to focus on secondary actions. He can have the ball but needs the space created by off-ball actions. The stats suggest the Pelicans can play a bit faster, share the ball, and still win the turnover battle.
- Turnovers: 13.2 (12th)
- Opponents Turnovers: 14.4 (7th)
- Points off Turnovers: 17.6 (5th)
- Opponents Points off Turnovers: 15.6 (10th)
- Assists: 27.3 (10th)
- Assists Ratio: 19.4 (10th)
- Assists Percentage: 63.4 (15th)
- Pace: 98.7 (16th)
Quite frankly, with those motivations and proven talents, it is not hard to see why the Pelicans think this could be their year to win a divisional title. The franchise has only one banner (2008) handing in the Smoothie King Center as it is. Adding a second to the opposite side to open Williamson's first NBA Playoffs game in The Blender would be a boon to the home-court advantage.
The Pelicans just cannot rest on their first-round exit laurels when it comes to addressing the weak points. That is a recipe for more NBA Play-In Tournament torture at best.
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