The New Orleans Pelicans are heading into a season with plenty on the line, and not just for the team as a whole. After an offseason that amounted to little more than a coaching change, this group could look very different if things go sideways again. Another disappointing year could trigger major roster movement, even before the trade deadline.
For a few players, though, this season is about something even more immediate: what kind of future they can carve out in New Orleans.
Jeremiah Fears is one of the clearest examples. Both rookies on the roster have a chance to become central pieces for the franchise, but Fears looks like the one most ready to grab the wheel.
He’s already shown he can score in bunches, finishing the year with 112 points across the final three games. With veteran guards around him but no obvious long-term priority in the front office’s eyes, a big leap from Fears could make him the next face of the franchise.
Zion Williamson sits in a different kind of pressure cooker. At 26, he’s at a pivotal stage, and the organization has already shown plenty of patience through his medical issues.
That patience may not last forever. Still, under the new regime, he turned in one of the best seasons of his career, appearing in 62 games - the second-most he has ever played - and stringing together 35 straight games, a new personal high.
Another strong year could put him in position for a new contract in New Orleans.
Then there’s Saddiq Bey, whose situation is tied to both production and timing. He could become a candidate for an extension this offseason, which would make the whole discussion moot.
But as it stands, he’s heading into a career year and a contract year. Bey’s path started with a prove-it deal from the Washington Wizards - a three-year, $20 million contract after he tore his ACL.
He missed the first season of that deal, then got traded to the Pelicans before last year. Now the payoff is here.
The 27-year-old delivered 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 45.1/36.7/84.7, and he had five games with at least 30 points. At $6.6 million this season, he’s giving New Orleans far more than that number suggests, and the next contract is set to reflect it.
The only real question is how much higher it climbs, which is why an extension now would make plenty of sense.