The New Orleans Pelicans are heading into the new season with a familiar look, and that has plenty of fans scratching their heads.
After finishing 11th in the West with a 26-56 record and missing the Play-In tournament for the second straight year, New Orleans was expected by many to make some kind of meaningful offseason move. Instead, the early read is that the Pelicans are largely staying put. According to John Hollinger from The Athletic, 14 of the 15 players from last season’s roster are expected to return.
That news landed hard with fans online, and the reactions came fast.
"The warriors without Steph Curry," one fan said.
"Sometimes the best gets are the ones you already have," another fan said.
"Arguably the worst front office in the league," another fan commented.
Others were even more blunt:
"You’re going 26-56 and trying to convince the league your players are worth multiple firsts. They have a delusional front office," one fan commented.
"The power of friendship is all they need," another fan commented.
"Their ability to maintain irrelevance no matter the cost is almost admirable," another fan said.
The Pelicans have also been quiet in free agency. The NBA’s signing period opened on June 30, but New Orleans has not made a signing or trade to change the roster.
Even with that inactivity, Trey Murphy III remains a name to watch. Trade chatter around the forward has cooled some, but it has not disappeared. Hollinger reported that teams around the league are still interested in Murphy, a versatile two-way wing who has drawn strong demand in recent seasons.
Murphy signed a four-year, $112,000,000 deal with the Pelicans ahead of the 2025-26 season, according to Spotrac. He has three years left on that contract before reaching unrestricted free agency.
Last season, Murphy averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. He started all 66 of his games and was one of New Orleans’ key pieces in its wins.
In Other News...
Klay Thompson Is Suddenly At The Center Of Another Stunning Rumor
The latest round of Klay Thompson chatter has put New Orleans back into the middle of a trade idea that would ripple across the league. Dallas is reportedly exploring options involving Thompson as it works through free agency and leadership changes, while multiple reports have tied Miami to the veteran sharpshooter in the kind of deal that would reshape all three teams involved.
For the Pelicans, the appeal is obvious enough to keep the rumor alive: they would not be just a bystander in the discussion, but a team positioned to collect multiple pieces in return. The framework being floated would send those assets to New Orleans as part of a larger three-team arrangement, leaving the real question less about whether the Pelicans could benefit and more about how far the talks might actually go. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Final Roster Spot Suddenly Carries More Weight Than Expected
The Pelicans have been quiet in free agency, with their only move so far coming in the form of a DeAndre Jordan re-signing, and the lack of cap flexibility has made even the last roster opening feel consequential. In that kind of summer, every decision gets magnified, especially when the front office is weighing whether to add another veteran piece or keep the door open for a younger player to grow into a role.
Bruce Brown Jr. is part of that conversation after spending last season with Denver and already having a Pelicans connection from the Brandon Ingram-to-Toronto deal. New Orleans also has recent draftee Jaron Pierre Jr. in the mix, and while his upside is intriguing, the organization may decide he is better served getting more runway in the G League before being asked to contribute at the NBA level. [Read more 🡒]