The New Orleans Pelicans are essentially bringing back the same roster next season, so last year’s two-man combinations matter more than usual. With the players another year older and a new coaching staff set to shuffle the pieces, the real question is how this group fits together.
That makes the duo numbers worth a closer look. Using Databallr’s net rating change for two-player combinations, with garbage-time minutes removed, the Pelicans’ best and worst pairings from last season tell a pretty clear story about what worked and what didn’t.
At the top of the list was Saddiq Bey and Herb Jones, who posted a +2.6 net rating together. That might surprise anyone looking only at star power, but it won’t shock people who watched New Orleans closely.
They were two of the most complementary winning players on the roster, even if that also meant they were asked to carry too much of the load on some nights. On a true playoff team, both would be better suited as third, fourth, or fifth options.
Bey helped by being one of the safest players in the league. He was extremely efficient with the ball and turned it over at one of the lowest rates in the NBA. When the Pelicans got the ball to him, good things usually followed.
Jones brought the other side of the equation. He’s one of the best defenders in the league, and that reputation is earned. His offense can be less consistent, but his defense creates turnovers, and those turnovers fuel transition chances.
On the other end of the spectrum, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen finished as the worst duo at -8.3 net rating. That’s not exactly a stunning result given where both players are in their development, but it’s also something New Orleans can’t afford to keep seeing.
They’re the future in the city, and both are still young and growing, so there’s no reason to panic. But both rookies were among the worst plus-minus performers in the league because of their defense, even though they were exciting offensively.
Fears, a smaller guard, forced turnovers but was targeted by any guard with momentum because of his strength. Queen showed finesse on offense and even helped create some steals, but he was a step slow and not strong enough in certain matchups. Both players have spent the offseason working to clean that up after getting their “welcome to the league” moments.
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 Fans Are Staring At The Same Problem All Over Again
The Pelicans are heading into the new season with a familiar look, and that is part of the concern. After finishing 11th last year at 26-56, New Orleans is reportedly set to bring back 14 of its 15 players from that roster, a sign of continuity in a summer when plenty of teams have tried to reshape themselves. For a group that spent much of last season searching for traction, the lack of movement only reinforces how much of the same core will be asked to carry the load again.
Trey Murphy III sits at the center of that conversation because he was one of the few bright spots in an uneven year. He remains under contract for three more seasons and was a key contributor, which is why his name keeps coming up whenever outside teams look for an upgrade. The trade chatter has cooled some, but it has not gone away entirely, and for New Orleans the bigger question is whether keeping the roster mostly intact solves anything or just delays the same debate until later. [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 🡒]