The New Orleans Pelicans walked into Wednesday night already searching for answers, and they left with a harsher question than before. Denver handed them a 104-91 loss, New Orleans’ worst defeat of the season, and the Pelicans fell to 0-4 in the process.
The game slipped away early. New Orleans dug itself into a 37-18 first-quarter deficit, and even though the Pelicans found some life in the middle stretch, they never fully escaped the damage from that opening burst. Against Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, starting that far behind left very little margin for recovery.
Zion Williamson was the one bright spot. He battled on defense, took control of possessions on offense, and finished with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting to go with five rebounds, two assists and three steals. He did just about everything a team could ask for, but there was little support behind him.
Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen tied for second on the team with 11 points apiece. Trey Murphy again went quiet for long stretches and finished with only seven shot attempts, while Saddiq Bey had an especially rough night and posted a -22.
Fears did struggle early, but he settled in after halftime when he was running the second unit as the lone point guard on the floor. The pairing of Fears and Dejounte Murray continues to look awkward, with little visible chemistry when they share the court.
That leaves New Orleans with a bigger roster question. The Pelicans want Fears in the spotlight, but they are also paying Murray a significant amount and do not want to hurt his trade value if this season keeps sliding.
Murray had another difficult night. His late-game decision-making and shot selection remain an issue, even if he chipped in five assists and grabbed some rebounds. He scored 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting, and that was not enough to change the outcome.
Herb Jones was the other Pelican who provided real stability. His defense helped keep New Orleans in the game, and once he left the floor, the contest stopped feeling competitive. He played only 19 minutes and did not finish the night, despite his strong second-half work.
The schedule doesn’t give New Orleans much time to sit with the loss. The Pelicans host the also 0-4 Sacramento Kings on Thursday night, and one of those teams is going to pick up its first win. If it’s not the Pelicans, the early-season trouble in New Orleans gets a lot harder to ignore.
In Other News...
Pelicans Just Sent A Confusing Signal On AJ Johnson
The Pelicans made a quick roster move with AJ Johnson on Friday night, recalling the young guard from the G League only hours after sending him down. It was the kind of transaction that can look routine on paper, but it also underscored how the team is still sorting out the best path for a player who remains in the early stages of his development.
Johnson has yet to appear for New Orleans this season, so every move around him carries a little more weight than it would for a more established rotation piece. For a team trying to balance immediate needs with long-term growth, the brief detour suggests the Pelicans are still evaluating how and when to use him, even if the answer is not clear just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Offseason Additions Are Raising Fresh Questions About This Roster
New Orleans spent the offseason trying to deepen its rotation with three additions, but the early returns have only added to the uncertainty around how this roster will come together. Bennedict Mathurin has had a hard time finding the right fit in the system even as his shot volume has ticked up, while Trendon Watford has at least given the coaching staff something more encouraging after recently getting on the floor and drawing positive remarks from Jamahl Mosley.
AJ Johnson is the other name to watch, even if his path looks very different right now. He has been assigned to the G League and has yet to make his NBA debut for the Pelicans, and the fact that the team did not pick up his option suggests this is less about a long-term plan and more about proving he belongs somewhere in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Zion Trade Idea Forces An Uncomfortable Pelicans Conversation
A hypothetical Zion Williamson trade proposal from Bleacher Report has stirred up the kind of uncomfortable conversation the Pelicans can never quite avoid. Andy Bailey floated a deal that would send Williamson to Golden State, with the Warriors getting the offensive upside they have long coveted while New Orleans would be left weighing the value of a major roster reset against the reality of what Williamson still means to the franchise.
The appeal for the Pelicans is obvious enough: a chance to move off a massive long-term commitment and open up some financial flexibility. But any conversation around Williamson quickly circles back to the same issue, and this one is no different, because the trade idea is built around a player whose availability has always shaped the discussion as much as his talent has. It remains purely speculative, but it is the sort of proposal that forces New Orleans to confront where the line is between patience and practicality. [Read more 🡒]