The New Orleans Pelicans are heading into the season with familiar problems still staring them in the face.
With limited room to maneuver this offseason, New Orleans mostly stayed the course instead of blowing up the roster. The result is a group that looks a lot like last year’s team, only now it’s asking a new coaching staff to sort out the mess.
There were some additions, sure. Bennedict Mathurin brings real scoring upside on the wing, and Trendon Watford gives them a versatile option.
But the biggest issues on the roster are still sitting there untouched.
One of the clearest is three-point shooting. The Pelicans have plenty of players who need touches, but not nearly enough spacing to make the offense feel clean.
Adding a scorer like Mathurin helps in one sense, but he has never been a dependable shooter. That matters when New Orleans is trying to build lineups around both Zion Williamson and Derik Queen, because there just isn’t much room for them to work.
It also puts more pressure on Trey Murphy, who becomes the main perimeter threat defenses have to track.
There isn’t much evidence the Pelicans will be a better shooting team this season. That may not be their priority anyway. The organization has clearly leaned toward defense, and the coaching staff they brought in from the Orlando Magic came from a team that had the league’s worst offense a few seasons ago.
The other big concern is interior defense. New Orleans got pushed around in the paint last season, and size was a real problem throughout the roster.
The rookies were getting targeted, and their best backup answer was Kevon Looney. He’s gone now, and the Pelicans haven’t brought in a direct replacement.
That could force them into plenty of small-ball looks, whether they want to go that direction or not. A lot will depend on how much Derik Queen and Yves Missi can grow into those responsibilities. Queen has been working with DeAndre Jordan this offseason, while Missi has been drawing attention during the World Cup qualifiers.
And there’s one more layer to all of it: toughness. Joe Dumars said early in the offseason that last year’s team wasn’t tough enough.
Mathurin and Watford can help in different ways, but they’re not a cure-all for that problem. If anything changes here, it may come from the coaching staff shifting the tone in the building and getting the Pelicans to play with a more aggressive edge on defense.
In Other News...
Mathurins Arrival Puts One Pelicans Wing In A Tough Spot
Bennedict Mathurins arrival gives the Pelicans another young wing with real upside, but it also forces a roster conversation that was easy to avoid before the signing. New Orleans did not bring him in on a flier, either, with a two-year, $16 million deal that signals real intention. The challenge now is fitting him into a wing rotation that already has players who need minutes, touches and a clear path.
Saddiq Bey is the name that stands out as the cleanest trade candidate, even after a career year and a team-friendly contract. New Orleans could look elsewhere, from waiving Jordan Poole to exploring a Jordan Hawkins deal, but moving Bey makes the most sense if the goal is both making room for Mathurin and adding draft capital. The question is whether the Pelicans will act on that logic quickly, or let the logjam linger a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Frontcourt Suddenly Carries Real Hope Into A Crucial Season
Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic have been giving the Pelicans something to file away for later, and maybe sooner than expected, with strong showings in international qualifying play that offered a glimpse of the frontcourt traits New Orleans is hoping to lean on. For a team that has spent too much time sorting through availability issues and uneven roster fits, seeing two young bigs show real promise on a bigger stage only adds to the sense that this group may finally have some useful depth inside.
The larger picture around New Orleans looks more encouraging, too, with Zion Williamson focused on offseason fitness, Trey Murphy III adding muscle ahead of what he hopes becomes an All-Star season, and Herb Jones back to full health. Under new head coach Jamahl Mosley, the Pelicans can see a frontcourt that is young, deep and potentially better equipped to drive a turnaround, even if the familiar caveat still hangs over everything - health and consistency will decide how real that optimism becomes. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Just Made A Bennedict Mathurin Move Fans Need To See
The Clippers have taken a notable step in the Bennedict Mathurin sweepstakes by withdrawing the qualifying offer, which pushes him into unrestricted free agency and clears the path for New Orleans to move quickly. Mathurin has already agreed to a two-year contract with the Pelicans, giving the team another young piece to work with as it continues shaping the roster around its next phase.
New Orleans still has some housekeeping left before the season begins, though, because the standard contract limit means another roster move will be required to get everything into place. For a team trying to balance flexibility with upside, the Mathurin addition is the kind of swing that can matter, but the final ripple effects will depend on what comes next. [Read more 🡒]