The customary rah-rah and high vibes are common for any NBA team’s media day. Setting the tone for the season with words is easy. That doesn’t make the day futile and unworthy of attention. Specifically for the Pelicans, there is plenty of substance to give us insight into this upcoming season.
Dumars and Williamson Mean Business
A big message that the new Vice President of Basketball Operations, Joe Dumars, sent to the Crescent City this summer was clear. Zion Williamson was expected to be the face of the franchise — both in leadership and accountability. It’s no secret that former Pelicans brass gave the former No. 1 pick significant leeway in a myriad of ways.
However, the sentiment in the building over the past two days doesn’t resemble management letting Zion fly by the seat of his hoop shorts. Instead, it emphasizes the standards.
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Whether this firm stance towards Zion will yield tangible results, only time will tell. Nevertheless, there is a new attitude and approach in the way this front office is handling its most important asset.
With all the right intangibles in place, it means that Zion’s on-court absence and lack of consistent contributions are no longer a valid excuse, but something that must be rectified.
A Career-Defining Year for Jordan Poole
As a fan, buying into the excitement of new additions feels like being a victim of a Ponzi scheme. There’s no telling what to make of a player. This is especially true, excluding those of All-NBA caliber, due to stylistic fit, locker room chemistry, and whether the player desires to be on the team.
We can’t be certain about the role of the likely new starting Pels point guard, Jordan Poole, until he has had a substantial amount of playing time with the core players, Zion, Trey Murphy, and Herb Jones. Despite the uncertainties, one thing is for sure. This season could be the most crucial in Poole’s career.
Poole’s career arc is one that I doubt will be replicated. For his last two seasons with the Washington Wizards, a very unserious brand of basketball was being played on all fronts.
He went from being the newest member of the Splash Brother family, drilling 35-footers in the NBA finals in 2022, and adding some championship bling to his trophy case. Now, in 2025, he is a neglected leading scorer for one of the worst teams in the league.
Now, Poole has the chance to play on a team where he’s not the top player. The aggressive play of Zion, the floor-stretching abilities, and the new scoring tactics of Trey Murphy will support him. The defensive playmaking of Herb Jones is another element that can enhance Poole’s skills and potentially elevate his game.
There are some encouraging numbers that Poole’s entering the season with:
He shot an above league average 37.8% from downtown on an absurd volume of 9.1 attempts per game.
He ranked in the 100th percentile last year in three-point pull-up talent, specifically third overall in the entire NBA.
His true shooting percentage leaped from 52.9% to 59.1% from the 2023-24 season to this past season.
Head Coach Willie Green alluded to the fact that the Pelicans are a beneficiary of Poole’s career stage and that his best basketball is yet to come.
As mentioned previously, there’s no telling how Poole will gel among the current group on the hardwood or whether he’ll flourish even more so in a potential winning situation; regardless, this season, Poole will have a chance to redirect the narrative in terms of the respect he garners.
The Cornerstone Wings are Ready to Go
Both Trey Murphy and Herb Jones suffered freakish, season-ending injuries this past year — both torn labrums to be specific. A significant concern in New Orleans was whether these two vital wings would be healthy and ready for the season opener. To my relief and the rest of New Orleans, Joe Dumars cleared the air.
The Pelicans are in dire need of a strong start this season. Having these two on the floor to give them the impact needed for winning is paramount.
As previously mentioned, both incurred freak injuries, which removed them from their best basketball of their respective careers. Not one wing had a better defensive year than Herb Jones in 2023-24. Only bigs finished higher than him in DPOY voting.
As for Trey Murphy, he’s coming off the biggest leap year of his career to date. He has a refurbished scoring repertoire and some serious considerations to be a sleeper All-Star candidate this upcoming season.
Every fan base and front office was gunning for these two all offseason. Joe Dumars remained firm; it will pay dividends. This wing duo already has a tremendous impact on winning. If they continue to ascend, it could mean the difference between an expected letdown from the national media and a shocking, sleeper playoff team.
Like a beignet breakfast diet, media day has its place. Letting it define the entirety of your expectations will likely leave you disappointed. Regardless of the buzz and hype, there’s new energy to New Orleans basketball, and it’s exciting to see where it leads.
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