The New Orleans Pelicans made waves in the offseason as they look to surround their star duo of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram with the right pieces.
Their biggest splash of the offseason was the trade for Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. In that trade, they sent two bench players in former first-round pick Dyson Daniels and backup big man Larry Nance Jr.
The Pelicans also lost starting center Jonas Valančiūnas and forward Naji Marshall in free agency. So this offseason, they lost their starting center and backup center as well as two more rotational bench players.
Projected starting five
All-Stars Williamson and Ingram are sure-fire starters at the three and four, respectively.
The Pelicans’ biggest question mark is the five. They can either go with the veteran Daniel Theis or the rookie Yves Missi.
Missi is a project player that may come off the bench. The Pelicans are a team that’s looking to go all in, however, so if Missi can elevate his game to his potential quickly, he can be a starter.
Theis clearly has more experience, but Missi’s potential as a rim protector fits what the Pelicans need in the starting lineup.
That leaves the backcourt.
Jones a Lock to Start?
It’s extremely difficult to send an All-NBA defender to the bench. Especially in Herbert Jones’ case.
In back-to-back years, Jones led the Pelicans to the top ten in defensive points per game surrendered without a legit rim protector behind him.
He’s the anchor of the defense who does everything defensively— from being the point-of-attack defender, low-man defender and signal caller (the guy who communicates the schemes).
Jones should be a lock as a starter at the two.
Murray or McCollum?
Now to the final spot.
Murray is more a natural point guard than CJ McCollum. Murray has averaged over six assists per game over the last two seasons while McCollum has never averaged over six assists per game in any of his eleven seasons.
A playmaking point guard has been something that the Pelicans have also desperately needed.
The Pelicans currently have four players (Williamson, Ingram, Murray and McCollum) that all averaged at least 20 points per game last season. It’s unlikely that all four of them average at least 20 points per game this upcoming season— there’s just not enough shots to go around.
Bench
McCollum should to go to the bench as the Pelicans’ sixth man. He has the prototype to be a sixth man too.
He’s a streaky player that primarily creates his own shots off the dribble. McCollum is likely to move back to his natural two position.
So, the Pelicans are killing two birds with one stone.
The Pelicans have a plethora of three-point shooters off the bench. Alongside McCollum, Trey Murphy and Jordan Hawkins should be their primarily bench players.
Each one of these players have different strengths off the bench.
As mentioned earlier, McCollum can create his own shots off the dribble in isolation. He’s also excellent in catch-and-shoot role.
Murphy has deep range, can attack closeouts and finish with dunks.
Hawkins is a movement shooter who can come off screens and knock down three-pointers without needing to set his feet.
Jose Alvarado provides an energy spark off the bench as the backup point guard.
The backup center would be whoever is not starting— Theis or Missi.
The rest of the bench rotation are players who should see minutes sparingly depending on the matchup.
Guards Matt Ryan and Antonio Reeves bring the Pelicans even more floor spacing.
On a thin depth of bigs, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl could find himself playing spot minutes.
The Pelicans’ depth chart can potentially look like this:
- PG: Murray, Alvarado
- SG: Jones, McCollum, Hawkins, Reeves, Ryan
- SF: Ingram, Murphy
- PF: Williamson, Robinson-Earl
- C: Missi, Theis
Playoff rotation
The Pelicans’ playoff rotation should go eight or nine deep. Murray, Jones, Ingram and Williamson would be expected to get the bulk of the minutes. Whoever is the starter at the five, whether it be Theis or Missi, should be the lone center that plays.
This means the Pelicans can go small and put Williamson or even Jones at the five.
McCollum, Murphy and Hawkins would be the sixth, seventh and eighth players to be in the rotation while Alvarado plays depending on the matchup to close out the playoff rotation.
The Pelicans are a team that are loaded on guards (Murray, McCollum, and Hawkins) and loaded on wings (Williamson, Ingram, Jones, and Murphy).
They have a pair of guards and wings that can self-create. They have shooters and perimeter defenders.
They have more shooters that can get lost in the shuffle— Reeves and Ryan.
The five spot remains as their biggest question mark, needing serviceable play from that position to help move the needle.
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