2024-25 Season Preview New Orleans Pelicans: One step away from being a top threat in the West

The 2024-25 NBA season is here! We present the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and fantasy predictions for all 30 teams. Enjoy!

PELICANS OF NEW ORLEANS

End of year 2023–24

Off-season moves

• Enrichment: Dejounte Murray, Javonte Green, Daniel Theis, Yves Missi, Antonio Reeves, Karlo Matkovic

• Subtraction: Jonas Valančiūnas, Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, Naji Marshall, Cody Zeller, EJ Liddell

• Complete squad

The big question: Can the Pelicans make this roster make sense?

Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Dejounte Murray made All-Star teams. CJ McCollum is one of the best players of the last decade who didn't make the All-Star team. Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III are two of the best 3 and D wing prospects in the game.

The Pelicans should be amazing. They will not be contenders for the championship with the current lineup.

Why? Well, for starters, they have no real center. They allowed Jonas Valančiūnas to sign a deal for 50 protected second-round draft picks. They drafted Yves Missi, who was 20, and signed Daniel Theis, a 32-year-old journeyman. These are not options for a serious team.

Ideally, they would swap Ingram for a center this summer. He has been available for some time and will be a free agent at the end of the season. Would-be suitors are wary of paying big money for a player who hasn't won a playoff series in eight seasons, even though his skills are superior to most. He was great in his first playoff appearance and was terrible last spring. Its true value lies somewhere in between.

Either way, New Orleans has more problems than the lack of a center and the presence of a defensive forward. There is no point in turning it. On paper, a lineup of Murray, Jones, Murphy, Ingram and Williamson could be a lethal small-ball quintet. In practice, having his five best players play together for an extended period of time puts an unwelcome burden on Williamson, whose injuries have slowed a potentially historic rise.

McCollum could be an electric sixth man. He has an immediate attacking game. But, he pointed out to reporters, “I'm not going to volunteer (to be on the bench), but if that's what the coach wants, then that's what he wants to do.” And he gets paid to be a starter. Except that Murphy, who is still waiting for a rookie contract extension, is in better shape and also wants to start. One of them will be dissatisfied.

There's a world where Murray and Williamson are formidable as a pick-and-roll tandem, where Jones and Murphy give them space and where McCollum – the 33-year-old president of the NBA Players Association – enjoys his role as a reserve. What a wonderful world it would be if only it had a center.

There are just a few options available. Clint Capela is not the answer. They certainly kicked the tires on Jarrett Allen. A trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers makes sense. Nicolas Claxton would be a good candidate, but why would the Brooklyn Nets want to pay Ingram early in the rebuild process? Look around the league. Now that Karl-Anthony Towns is in New York, the list of available (quality) centers is small.

Theis once played for the Boston Celtics, which reached the conference finals. He could turn back the clock. Or Missi may be growing faster than expected. It's more likely that if the Pelicans feel they can do some damage in the playoffs for the first time ever, they'll shop a little harder, and they have the draft capital to do so. They own all of their own first-round draft picks, as well as the rights to several others. Don't hesitate, and we have the answer: The Pelicans don't even consider themselves a serious rival.

Best case scenario

Williamson is a superstar. And healthy. Nothing matters if not this. Murray is emerging from Trae Young's shadow and resuming the production he enjoyed with the San Antonio Spurs. Either Jones or Murphy, or both are on the brink of stardom, or at least becoming stars in their roles. Everything falls into place. McCollum comes on the bench. Ingram buys a rim protector and the Pelicans are not only looking for their first playoff victory since 2018; they threaten to reach the conference finals for the first time in history.

If everything falls apart

Williamson has never finished a season healthy and this time is no different. They keep Ingram and he walks, or they sell him for free. McCollum slows down Murphy's development and team chemistry wanes. Jones is shooting 34% like he did in the first two seasons of his career, not 42% like last season. Missi is missi. Teis too. The Pelicans went right back to the play-in tournament, a level or two below the Western Conference elite, and learned nothing from last season.

Spin fantasy

The Pelicans are brimming with fantastic potential, but Murray's arrival disrupts the use of ball-dominant players like Williamson, McCollum and Ingram. Speaking of Ingram, an extension is unlikely and it will be a challenge for the Pelicans to replace BI's expiring $36 million contract. Ingram's sixth-round draft pick is a decent value to start the season with Murphy sidelined for a few weeks with a hamstring injury.

One of the more underrated selections near the 100 pick is play-action specialist Herb Jones, who also made strides in improving his efficiency across the board last year, shooting 50% from the field, 42% from 3 and 87% from the line. It is a valuable choice. My starting center, Karlo Matković, is behind Daniel Theis and Yves Missi on the depth chart. I think Matkovic provides the necessary athleticism, space and defense that New Orleans needs long term. Just remember his name, even if he's not worth drafting right now. — And Tytus

2024–25 schedule

Under is a safer bet considering what the rotation looks like early in the season and how Williamson is finishing each year of his career. However, I want to believe that they will find the missing piece; I want to think Williamson will stay healthy for one of these years because this team should be funny. I'm taking control.