The Pelicans’ center situation was supposed to be one of the cleaner parts of this roster puzzle. Instead, three preseason games in, it looks like a problem that’s already unraveling.
Derik Queen, Karlo Matkovic and Yves Missi were supposed to form a workable win-by-committee solution. On paper, the idea made sense: let each one handle his piece, and maybe the combined result gives New Orleans a respectable starting center. But that theory has taken a beating so far, and the preseason has made it hard to feel good about any of it.
The issues have shown up in different ways depending on the night. Queen has had trouble finishing easy looks - he missed five layups in a row on Wednesday night.
Missi has been exposed in space and looked shaky defensively. Matkovic has floated through stretches without much impact on the glass.
Wednesday’s game may have been the clearest warning sign, with Willie Green starting a double-big lineup only to watch Missi and Matkovic surrender offensive rebound after offensive rebound.
There were a few bright spots, but they weren’t enough to change the bigger picture. Queen grabbed 11 rebounds in under 20 minutes on Wednesday, yet that came alongside a 1-of-9 shooting night and those five straight missed layups.
Missi posted four blocks, pulled down nine rebounds and shot 50 percent from the field, but he also got beaten on switches and looked lost both defensively and on the boards. He now owns the second-worst defensive rating among players who have appeared in all three preseason games.
Matkovic had the cleanest shooting line of the group, going 3-of-4 from three and knocking down shots from the right corner. But beyond that, the production was thin. He finished with just two rebounds in 17 minutes, and the Mavericks grabbed offensive boards at a 52.4 percent rate while he was on the floor.
That’s the part that stings for New Orleans: this wasn’t supposed to add up to a liability. The hope was that three young centers, each with a different skill set, could combine into something steady enough to get by. Instead, the committee approach has looked more like a collective breakdown.
So what does Willie Green do now? The opening-night starter still isn’t obvious.
One path would be to go small, even with Herb Jones at the five, and just lean into that look. Another is to stick with Missi, who has started all three preseason games, which at least suggests he’s still the favorite.
There’s at least an argument for each option. Queen has been a strong rebounder and leads the team in rebound percentage.
Matkovic brings the floor spacing that could fit next to Zion Williamson, at least in theory. Missi, though uneven, still feels like the most likely choice.
Even then, the answer isn’t satisfying. There may not be a right call here, and that’s the problem.
In Other News...
Mavericks Make Another Early Camp Cut As Roster Decisions Begin
Training camp churn is underway around the league, and the Pelicans have added another familiar name back into the mix by re-signing center Hunter Dickinson on a non-guaranteed camp deal with Exhibit 10 language. It is the kind of transaction that comes with this part of the calendar, when teams begin sorting out the edges of their rosters and giving players one more chance to stay in the pipeline.
Around the NBA, the moves are already piling up as San Antonio signed Kendall Brown, Sacramento brought in David Muoka and Dallas requested waivers on Jorge Diaz Graham. Most of these signings are designed to set up an early exit before opening night, but for New Orleans, Dickinsons return at least keeps him in the conversation as roster decisions start to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Shooting Woes Are Putting One Rookie In The Spotlight
The Pelicans have spent much of the preseason working through the same familiar issue: not enough floor spacing, not enough consistent threat from beyond the arc, and not enough volume to make defenses pay. In that setting, second-round rookie Jaron Pierre Jr. has quietly become worth watching, because his skill set addresses exactly what the roster has lacked. He has shown a clean shooting touch in limited minutes and looks like the kind of perimeter option that could help the second unit create a little more room to operate.
Pierre Jr.s case is less about headline numbers than fit, and that is what makes him interesting for New Orleans heading into the regular season. The Pelicans can use any reliable shooting they can find, especially from a young player who has handled his preseason opportunities well, but the bigger question is how quickly that translates into a real role. For now, he has done enough to make the conversation about rotation depth and bench shooting worth keeping an eye on. [Read more 🡒]
Kellen Moore Faces A Defining Saints Test As Pressure Keeps Mounting
The Saints head into their meeting with the Giants at 1-4, and the spotlight on offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has only grown brighter. New Orleans has struggled to find any consistent rhythm on offense, and the challenge now is making sure Tyler Shough is kept upright while the unit finds a cleaner, more efficient way to move the ball. For a team already dealing with an uneven start, every possession feels more important than the last.
Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara remain key names to watch as the game plan takes shape, since their availability could help determine how much Moore can lean into the offense he wants to run. The bigger picture is clear for the Saints: they need a sharper showing now, not later, with the pressure building around a unit that has yet to deliver enough. [Read more 🡒]