The New Orleans Pelicans are set to open the season near the bottom of the NBA’s power rankings, landing at No. 26 before Tuesday afternoon’s tip-off.
That placement puts them in familiar territory for the broader basketball conversation: the Chicago Bulls sit just below them, while the Los Angeles Clippers are one spot ahead. It’s a fitting snapshot of a team that has inspired very different readings depending on who you ask.
On one side, there’s plenty of skepticism. The Pelicans have not cleared 30 wins in back-to-back seasons, and they haven’t done enough lately to earn blind faith from the outside. They also didn’t have a first-round pick to bring in another premium young piece, which limited the obvious paths for a quick leap forward.
Their biggest offseason addition was Bennedict Mathurin, a former top 10 pick who could wind up being a steal, but one who is expected to open the year coming off the bench. That kind of move adds intrigue, not certainty.
Jamahl Mosley enters his first season as head coach, and the job in front of him is clear: clean up the mess from the past two years and get this group pointed in the right direction. That kind of reset doesn’t happen overnight.
Still, the Pelicans believe the problem was less about talent and more about what was happening around it. From their perspective, coaching was the missing piece, and now that they have competent leadership, their roster has a chance to show what it can really be.
They also believe the team’s health gives them a different look heading into the season. Even without a major offseason overhaul, being fully healthy changes the equation, and Dejounte Murray at 100% is expected to make a major impact.
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The Pacers are opening the season with an early lineup wrinkle they would have preferred to avoid, and it arrives in a spot where they were counting on continuity. With Aaron Nesmith unavailable at small forward, Indiana will have to adjust on the wing right away, with Kelly Oubre Jr. expected to step into the role and more minutes likely available for Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard.
The backcourt depth chart has its own concern, too, with T.J. McConnell still working back from a hamstring strain after missing the entire preseason. For a team trying to settle into its rotation quickly, the opening night absences mean the Pacers will have to lean on depth sooner than planned and hope the short-term patchwork does not turn into a longer-term problem. [Read more 🡒]
Yves Missi Faces Early Pelicans Test That Could Shake Up Rotation
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The Pelicans are also putting a clear evaluation process around the spot, with head coach Jamahl Mosley looking closely at how Missi holds up out of the gate. If the defensive end becomes a problem, New Orleans has other options it can turn to, which gives the first stretch of the season a little extra weight for a position that could quickly become fluid. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Already Have A Derik Queen Question They Cant Ignore
Derik Queen gave the Pelicans something to think about in preseason, and not just because of the board work. Over four games, the rookie showed he can rebound at a high level, finishing with 8.8 per game, while also flashing enough playmaking to keep the ball moving. But the offensive output was uneven, with just 5.8 points a night on 33.3% shooting, the kind of start that leaves coaches weighing his strengths against the parts of his game that still need polish.
The passing numbers only added to the conversation, with Queen posting nine assists and nine turnovers as he tried to find his rhythm in Jamahl Mosleys system. At the same time, Jeremiah Fears continued to build momentum by leading New Orleans in preseason scoring and looking more comfortable in command of the offense, a contrast that sharpens the question around how Queen fits as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]