The Pelicans are heading into training camp with a clear gamble at center: they didn’t bring in an outside answer, so the job now falls to Yves Missi and Derik Queen.
That choice leaves New Orleans leaning hard on internal development, especially on a roster that will need real resistance at the rim if it’s going to hold up defensively. It’s one reason the team went after Jamahl Mosley and his staff, since that group is known for its defensive work.
Missi and Queen even pushed back on the idea that New Orleans still needed another big earlier this offseason. Missi’s response was a simple shrug emoji, and Queen followed with, "got no big Yves." The message was pretty easy to decode.
Missi, at least, has already shown one thing the Pelicans can use. He’s a strong rim protector, even if that part of his game doesn’t always get the attention it should. CleaningTheGlass had him in the 95th percentile among bigs in block rate last season.
He also stood out on the offensive glass, where his athleticism gave him an edge. The flip side was defensive rebounding, where his lack of play strength showed up more clearly. He ranked in the 88th percentile on offense and 32nd on defense in that area.
Even so, he’s likely to open the season as the starter because he’s New Orleans’ best defensive option at the position. The Pelicans will still need Queen, though, because he’s essentially the only other center on the roster besides DeAndre Jordan, who is mostly a player-coach. Jordan can still give useful minutes in short stretches, just as he did last season.
Queen was listed at 6-foot-10 on the training camp roster, an inch taller than before. If that reflects real growth, it would be a nice boost; if not, it may just be a measurement change.
Offensively, Queen gives New Orleans a very different look at center. He was effective in flashes as a rookie, but inefficient overall.
His rebounding numbers ran the opposite way from Missi’s, with Queen in the 77th percentile on defensive rebounds and 38th on offense. The downside was clear, too: the Pelicans were six points worse per 100 possessions with him on the floor.
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Pelicans Camp Battle Could Reshape Their Bench Before Opening Night
The Pelicans head into training camp with only a small bit of real roster intrigue, but it is the kind that can matter once the season starts. With 13 spots largely spoken for and three two-way players already set, five players are effectively chasing the final two openings on the active roster: AJ Johnson, Trendon Watford, Kobe Bufkin, Caleb Houstan and Christian Koloko. Each brings a different background and a different case for why he could fit around a team trying to sharpen its depth before opening night.
What makes the competition worth watching is how varied the paths are. Some of the candidates arrive with more experience, some with more developmental upside, and some with contract questions that could shape how long they stay in the mix. For New Orleans, the decision is less about filling out camp bodies than finding the best blend of immediate help and future value, which means this battle could end up shaping the bench in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Have Three Camp Hopefuls Fighting To Prove They Matter
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Reese will be watched for his defense and rebounding, Pierre for his offensive versatility, and Dia for the kind of floor spacing that can open up a frontcourt rotation. For a team still sorting through its depth chart, that makes this trio more than camp filler, especially because the early weeks will be about figuring out who can translate a specific skill into something the Pelicans can actually use. [Read more 🡒]
Dejounte Murray Could Be The Pelicans Change Fans Overlooked
Dejounte Murrays first season in New Orleans never really got a fair shake. A torn Achilles limited him to 14 games, but the Pelicans saw enough in those brief appearances to understand how much he can change the shape of their roster when hes available. Even while working back into form, Murray brought steadier creation, tougher point-of-attack defense and a more efficient scoring touch than the raw minutes total might suggest.
The bigger clue may have been what happened when he was on the floor. New Orleans was 8.2 points better per 100 possessions with Murray playing, a strong sign that his impact went well beyond the box score and the injury caution around him. If he can carry that kind of two-way influence into a healthier season, he may end up being the move that quietly reshapes how the Pelicans play. [Read more 🡒]